Taiwan’s Alishan forestry railway officially opened its entire line, with President of the Republic of China, Lai Ching-te, attending the “Alishan Forestry Railway Full Line Opening Thanksgiving Event” organized by the Alishan Forestry Railway and Cultural Heritage Management Office. Today, Lai emphasized that the opening of the Alishan forestry railway line will boost the tourism industry in Chiayi and attract more foreign tourists to Taiwan.
Upon arriving at the Alishan Station, President Lai Ching-te first watched a video documenting the opening ceremony and blessings. In his speech, he expressed his joy at being invited to the “Alishan Forestry Railway Full Line Opening Thanksgiving Event,” thanking all those involved in this significant construction for their unity and dedication, allowing the century-old, world-renowned Alishan forestry railway in Chiayi to resume operation.
President Lai Ching-te highlighted that Alishan in Taiwan not only boasts a pleasant climate, beautiful scenery, and rich cultural heritage but also welcomes visitors to take a ride on the forestry railway for local tourism, believing that it will be a worthwhile experience. He mentioned that the Alishan forestry railway is internationally recognized and has numerous sister railways worldwide, encouraging tourism operators to bring foreign visitors to enhance the benefits of this infrastructure.
During his tenure as Premier, Lai Ching-te had visited the Alishan forestry village and advocated for the full restoration of the railway, as well as promoted the Forward-looking Infrastructure Development Program to support the Alishan forestry railway-related projects. He stressed the importance of safety, full line operation, and integration with culture to meet various tourism needs and create value for travelers.
Lai Ching-te emphasized that culture is the soul of a nation and the foundation of a country. “We must not only preserve and promote culture but also develop cultural and creative industries.” To develop cultural tourism in Chiayi, the focus should be on the “Southern Institute, Railway, and Alishan.” He thanked Lin Hua-ching, Director of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Administration, for assisting in advancing the related projects of the Alishan forestry railway. In the future, the government will continue implementing the “Great Alishan Axis Centennial Leap Development Plan” to maximize the benefits of the railway, thereby driving the tourism industry in Chiayi and attracting more foreign visitors to Taiwan.
He mentioned that he had invited foreign diplomats to visit the Alishan Tefuye Ancient Trail and Dabang Tribe, where they were deeply impressed by Taiwan’s beautiful scenery and indigenous cuisine. Through the joint efforts of Chiayi County Magistrate Wong Chang-liang and local legislators, he hoped to connect these unique features and local cultures to contribute more to the overall prosperity and development of Chiayi County and City. Finally, he wished for the safe and successful operation of the Alishan forestry railway, ensuring that all passengers have a pleasurable experience.
Subsequently, President Lai Ching-te presented certificates of appreciation to the commendable individuals involved in the railway’s opening ceremony and boarded the “Fushen Train” to inspect the Zhu Mountain Station to understand the operation of surrounding facilities such as the elevator tower and rainwater collection system.
Today’s event was attended by Minister of Agriculture Chen Chun-chi, Minister of Examination Shih Neng-chieh, Deputy Minister of Culture Lee Ching-hui, Chiayi County Magistrate Wong Chang-liang, and legislators Chen Guan-ting, Wang Mei-hui, Zhang Qikai, Director of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Administration Lin Hua-ching, and others.