The Coast Guard Administration has confirmed that a dredging project to allow
larger vessels to dock at a wharf serving Taiping Island in the South China
Sea has been completed.

Confirmation follows reports that K-M-T Chen I-hsin has been calling on
President Tsai Ing-wen to follow the examples of former Presidents Chen
Shiu-bian and Ma Ying-jeou and travel to Taiping Island for the opening
ceremony.

The administration says renovation work on the wharf was completed in October
of last year and it passed the required inspections on January 20.

Along with dredging sediment and deepening navigation channels, the work also
included a reinforcing of typhoon-related disaster prevention measures on the
island in the South China Sea.

Coast Guard officials say the project cost 1.7-billion N-T and will allow
4,000-tonne vessels to make routine patrols in waters around Taiping Island.

However, officials are refusing say if Tsai will preside over a planned
opening ceremony for the renovated wharf.