Taipei Mayor Chiang Wanan yesterday suddenly proposed the idea of relocating Songshan Airport and planning to transform it into an AI industrial park, residences and parks, triggering heated discussions among the outside world. In this regard, Du Yijin, the founder of Taiwan Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, asked 6 questions, bluntly saying that AI is not just land speculation, but also requires a complete plan. Without a comprehensive plan for energy, transportation, talent residence, aviation functions, historical preservation and green space protection, the so-called AI park may just replace land development with a new sign.
Du Yijin said in a Facebook PO post that Songshan Airport will be converted into an AI park. He will answer 6 questions first. The first is where is the power supply? The AI industry needs stable power supply. Taipei City should put forward an energy plan first, and cannot continue to expand electricity demand while reaching out for electricity. It is an irresponsible policy to promote energy-intensive parks without solving the problem of power supply.
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Secondly, how to preserve history and green spaces? Songshan Airport is the first airport in Asia. The founding father of India once crashed here. It carries Taiwan's important military, aviation and international exchange history and deserves to be fully recorded and preserved. Will the open green park space around the airport that has been preserved due to air traffic control gradually turn into concrete buildings after relocation? From the disappearance of Taiwan Shrine and Meiji Bridge to today’s airport and surrounding parks, cities cannot erase memories in the name of development again and again.
Third, Du Yijin pointed out, can Taoyuan Airport be completely replaced? The value of Songshan Airport lies not only in its passenger volume, but also in its convenience and quick access to the city center. Taoyuan Airport handles a large amount of international transportation, but it cannot provide the same transportation time and mobility. Haneda and Narita in Tokyo and Hongqiao and Pudong in Shanghai are parallel, which shows that the two types of airports have their own functions.
Fourth, who bears the costs of outlying islands and international travel? If domestic flights are moved to Taoyuan, the time it takes for some passengers to get to the airport may be longer than the flight time. Increasing transfer and transportation burdens will weaken the attractiveness of international travel and make it more inconvenient for residents of offshore islands to travel to and from the capital.
Du Yijin continued, fifthly, how to connect state guests with important tasks? State guests, defense and security officials and important business leaders have special needs for time, privacy and security. Huang Renxun, Pelosi and other people, Songshan Airport provides conditions for quickly arriving in the capital and connecting meetings and accommodation. Relocation cannot just be about terminal capacity, it must also come up with alternatives that can maintain these functions.
Sixth, is Beishike ready? Since Beishike already exists, the land, water, electricity, transportation and industrial layout should be completed first. If we call a new AI park before the existing park is fully in place, how will we explain it to the companies, people and people who have invested resources in the construction? Successive mayors from different parties have proposed the relocation of Songshan Airport. Therefore, these issues have nothing to do with a single political party, but are choices that must be faced in the development of the capital.
Du Yijin bluntly stated that she supports the development of AI and supports the expansion of investment by municipal governments. However, AI is not about land speculation, but also requires a complete plan. Without a comprehensive plan for energy, transportation, talent housing, aviation functions, historical preservation and green space protection, the so-called AI park may just replace land development with a new sign. Taiwan needs far-sighted capital planning and does not need another parkland killer.
