By Jake Chung / Staff writer, with CNANew Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) and Keelung Mayor Lin Yu-chang (林右昌) yesterday responded positively to the idea of combining Taipei, New Taipei City and Keelung into one administrative entity, which was broached by Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) earlier this week. Ko on Wednesday said that the concept of the six special municipalities — Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung — was “absurd” and a failure in terms of national planning. A “Greater Taipei” region — Taipei, New Taipei City and Keelung — could work, as they are adjacent to each other, he said. He said he believed that railway construction projects across the two municipalities and city should also include Taoyuan. Taipei needs Keelung, as it could balance wealth in the region while allowing Taipei to expand from only the Taipei Basin to having its own coast and harbor, Lin said.
