Government to Encourage Private Investment in Public Infrastructure

TAIPEI: The Taiwanese government is preparing to establish a ministerial-level framework aimed at boosting private sector investment in public infrastructure projects. This initiative, announced by National Development Council (NDC) official Chiu Chiu-ying, seeks to enhance cooperation between governmental bodies and private enterprises to jointly develop Taiwan's infrastructure. According to Focus Taiwan, the initiative will involve collaboration between the NDC, the Ministry of Finance, and the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) to engage private companies willing to invest in significant infrastructure projects anticipated to provide stable returns. This approach is expected to alleviate the financial strain on both central and local governments, Chiu noted. The NDC has identified several potential projects for private investment, including a long-term care facility in Taipei, a recreational park in Tainan, and a train station building with office space in Kaohsiung. The planned mechanism aims to att ract private investments amounting to NT$682.9 billion (approximately US$21 billion) and create 126,000 jobs nationwide from 2025 to 2028. To facilitate this, the NDC and other government agencies will work with independent experts and scholars to develop incentives, such as easing regulations. Additionally, the NDC plans to assist local governments in raising funds for public projects by issuing bonds and promoting infrastructure securitization, which would convert infrastructure assets into tradeable securities. Currently, only the city governments of Taipei and Kaohsiung have utilized bonds to finance Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) projects, as noted by NDC deputy head Kao Shien-quey.