Taiwan pushing hard

An interesting visit to Taipei with a chance to look in a bit more detail at what's happening in the local business events scene here. There are some very lively companies working hard on some innovative projects.

Interestingly also, a whole series of new venue projects has been announced of which I wasn't aware before. I did know that the new TWTC Nangang exhibition hall (47,255 sq. metres in phase 1) is due to open next year. In fact, I got to drive past it. I think it will be ready. From the the outside, it looks pretty much finished now.

What I didn't know were the following which were reported in a local newspaper yesterday:

• Taichung: 12,198 sq. metre centre due to open in April 2008.
• Tainan: 3,489 sq. metre centre due to open in December 2008.
• Nangang: Phase 2 of new hall, 40,000 sq. metres, scheduled to open in December 2012.
• Taoyuan (near the airport): 64,625 sq. metre venue planned. No opening date given.

Having been space-constrained for years by a very busy Taipei World Trade Centre, there's suddenly going to be all sorts of room for the industry to play with here in Taiwan.

I also learned that years are counted in a different way in Taiwan: considering themselves still the representatives of the original Republic of China, year 1 is considered to be 1911 when Sun Yatsen's republic was founded. So, the Nangang centre is reported as being due to open in the 3rd month of the 97th year (March 2008). Who knew?