Breaking News, World News and Taiwan News.

Updated Tuesday, March 8, 2011 11:46 pm TWN, CNA

Sponsors
▪	Find great real time deals on China Flights. Book flights to China or China domestic flights 24/7.
▪	Buy china wholesale products from reliable chinese wholesalers on DHgate.com!
▪	Save 75% for all hotels in Shanghai, Beijing and whole China. Lowest rates for Flights in China.
▪	Get the best deals for Guangzhou Hotels or choose from more than 10,000 hotels in 499 Chinese cities.

Activists opposed to new legislation on public land sales

TAIPEI -- Citizen of the Earth, a Kaohsiung-based environmental group, urged the government on Monday to eliminate articles authorizing public land sales in four draft bills initiated to promote economic development in remote areas of Taiwan.

Articles in draft amendments for the Offshore Islands Development Act and in three newly proposed acts governing the development of aboriginal tribal lands, eastern Taiwan, and the Yunlin-Chiayi special agricultural zone, would only help big companies profit from public land, said foundation chief executive Lee Ken-cheng.

“The bills would sabotage the country's homeland planning and a system based on the law governing state properties. They would impact nearly two-thirds of Taiwan's land, “ if they cleared the legislature, Lee said at a press conference Monday.

The activist was joined by many scholars, including Hsu Shih-jung, a professor of land economics at National Chengchi University, and Liao Pen-chuan of the Department of Real Estate and Built Environment at National Taipei University, in opposing the bills.

Liao blasted politicians for “using Taiwan's land and future as gambling chips” for their “land-seizing games.”

Hsu charged that the draft bills were created to “plunder” private land and bypass existing regulations, including the Land Act and State Property Act, that strictly restrict the sale and usage of public lands.

Under the proposed bills, the development of any plot of land smaller than 50 hectares would not need to undergo an environmental impact assessment, and local governments would be given greater power to seize private land through “eminent domain,” Lee said.

Responding to the appeal, Chen Chih-ming, a division chief of the Council for Economic Planning and Development, said the bills were proposed by lawmakers rather than the central government.

He stressed, however, that local governments would still need to follow existing regulations on urban and district planning in carrying out development plans even if the proposed bills were passed.

Subscribe to The China Post and save 25%. Click here