TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che (黃偉哲) said Friday the city will turn Taiwan Sugar Corporation’s Xinying Sugar Factory into a base for smart robot demonstrations, testing, education, and investor services.
Speaking at a press conference at Yonghua Civic Center, Huang said the project will help revive the old sugar factory and support growth in north Tainan. The city government said the site will become part of Tainan’s wider smart robot industry plan, which links research, manufacturing, and real-world robot use.
Huang said Tainan is building a smart robot industry cluster around Shalun, Liujia, and Liuying. He said Shalun will focus on research, Liujia on applications, and Liuying on future robot manufacturing.
However, the third phase of Liuying Technology Industrial Park is still under environmental impact assessment review. Huang said the city must move faster by using existing sites that can be developed sooner.
Xinying Sugar Factory covers about 29 hectares and is in central Xinying. Huang said the area has good transport links, as well as strong education, medical, and living services nearby, per UDN.
The mayor said the site is suitable for robot demonstrations, talent training, testing, company showcases, and investor services. He said it could also help attract workers back to north Tainan.
Huang said the project must follow the city’s development goals of low pollution, sufficient power, and sufficient water. He said smart robots and drones are low-pollution industries with high value.
The city also plans to protect the sugar factory’s cultural and historic buildings. Huang said the site should combine cultural heritage, family leisure, and smart technology, per CTS News.
CNA reported that the Economic Development Bureau said the factory area has already been rezoned for industrial culture, sugar industry culture, and preservation. The city will seek central government funding and work with Taiwan Sugar Corporation to redevelop the site.
The bureau said short-term work will focus on early planning. In the medium term, the city plans to set up a demonstration hall and start testing projects, while the long-term goal is to build a permanent display site and investment service platform.
