Premier Su Tseng-chang says he's seeking to speed up finalizing the planning
stage for work on a proposed high speed rail extension in Pingtung.

The statement comes after independent Pingtung lawmaker Su Chen-ching called
for the government to extend the proposed line further south to Chao-Zhou
Township, instead of it terminating in Pingtung City.

According to the Pingtung lawmaker, only 2.5-kilometers of the 17.5-kilometer
extension line that has so far been approved by the Cabinet is actually in
Pingtung, and the current plan to extend the line to Liu-Kuai-Cuo is
impractical, because of its remoteness.

The premier says there have been a long discussion on the high speed rail
extension to Pingtung, and he supports the lawmaker's suggestion of extending
it to Chao-Zhou.

The Cabinet approved a feasibility study for the high speed rail extension to
Pingtung at the end of last year and the railways bureau has already chosen a
contractor for the general planning of the project.