New defense ministry headquarters to be completed in 2014
ROC Central News Agency
2013/12/05 17:39:48
Taipei, Dec. 5 (CNA) The military has given July 2014 as a concrete date for the completion of the new Ministry of National Defense headquarters, indicating the end is in sight for work on the complex that has been under planning since 1997.
Defense ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Luo Shou-he said Thursday that defense operations will be moved to the new complex, located in Taipei's Dazhi neighborhood, in 2014 from the current headquarters location near the Presidential Office.
Development on the 19.5-hectare headquarters, originally set to be completed by 2008, has been plagued by a string of setbacks since construction work began in 2004.
The original architect passed away early on, a contractor in charge of air-conditioning went out of business and another responsible for the electrical system was unable to uphold its contract. The numerous delays have drawn criticism from the Control Yuan and concern in the Legislature.
Earlier Thursday, ruling and opposition legislators paid a visit to the nearly completed site to check on its progress.
Democratic Progressive Party lawmaker Hsueh Ling said afterward that there is still a lot that needs to be done, expressing concerns over the headquarters' protection against blasts and other attacks and electromagnetic weapons.
The military offered no immediate response to the lawmaker's concerns.
As of Dec. 2, the complex was about 80 percent completed, according to the defense ministry.
(By Claudia Liu and Elaine Hou)
EDNITEM/WH
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