TAOYUAN (TVBS News) — Economic Minister J.W. Kuo (郭智輝) expressed openness to transforming the CPC Corporation (中油) Taoyuan Refinery during a visit on Wednesday (Sept. 11).
Minister Kuo, invited by Legislator Niu Hsu-ting (牛煦庭), inspected the refinery and discussed it with local stakeholders. The refinery, located near the Nankan Interchange (南崁交流道) in Taoyuan, spans 460 hectares and affects approximately 800,000 residents.
Rapid urban development, safety incidents, and environmental pollution have heightened calls for transformation.
Residents advocate for converting the refinery into a high-tech industrial hub. While Kuo did not provide a definitive answer, he agreed to establish regular communication platforms and project consultations.
He plans to collaborate with the National Development Council (NDC, 國家發展委員會) and Taoyuan City Government to explore viable solutions.
Legislator Niu emphasized the importance of this issue, highlighting that the relocation of the Taoyuan Refinery is one of the major public issues in Taoyuan.
He stressed that CPC Corporation should seek a new site for the refinery and simultaneously work on revitalizing the surrounding land and transforming the refinery area.