Mayor Chen Holds Municipal Administrative Meeting at Fo Guang Shan, Expresses Appreciation for Collaboration on Net-Zero Transition

[Kaohsiung News] The Kaohsiung City Government convened its routine municipal administrative meeting on May 7 at Fo Guang Shan, marking the first time Mayor Chen Chi-Mai presided over the meeting outside of the city hall. Recognizing Fo Guang Shan's significance as a landmark Buddhist site in Kaohsiung, Mayor Chen expressed his intention to introduce the institution's esteemed Buddha Museum and diverse facilities to officials from various bureaus, departments, and the public. The meeting, themed around Dashu District, was strategically held in the district to facilitate engagement and discussions of local issues. Mayor Chen also extended gratitude to Fo Guang Shan for their unwavering support, notably during the aftermath of the 2021 Kaohsiung Cheng Jhong Cheng building fire.

Mayor Chen highlighted the city's commitment to promoting net-zero emissions, noting that Fo Guang Shan received the EPA Award for Environmental Education Group last year (2023). This year, Fo Guang Shan has also been certified by the Ministry of the Environment as an environmental education site and was a finalist for the National Environmental Education Award in April. Fo Guang Shan has consistently collaborated with the city government to advance net-zero transformation and adhere to various policies. Mayor Chen also took the opportunity to recognize Mother's Day, which falls on the second Sunday of May, urging the Social Affairs Bureau to continue promoting care measures and resources for pregnant women and parenting support to increase their utilization. He wished all mothers a happy Mother's Day.

Venerable Hui Chuan, Executive Vice Abbot of Fo Guang Shan, welcomed the city government team and fully participated in the meeting. He expressed gratitude for the city government's longstanding support for religious activities. Venerable Hui Chuan also noted Mayor Chen's success in attracting the world-class semiconductor company TSMC to expand operations into Kaohsiung, which has drawn more talent to the city. In the realm of leisure and entertainment, he noted the presence of large-scale venues such as the Kaohsiung Music Center and National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying), which host performances by renowned artists, thereby boosting Kaohsiung's tourism industry. Regarding sports, Venerable Hui Chuan mentioned the Kaohsiung Aquas Basketball Team and the TSG Hawks Baseball Team, which have created significant development opportunities for local students. He emphasized the close relationship between Fo Guang Shan and the Kaohsiung City Government, remarking that their endeavors are mutually supportive.

During the meeting, the Marine Bureau delivered a presentation on the overview of the production, distribution, and sales of aquatic products, while the Dashu District Office reported on district administrative affairs. Mayor Chen noted that the annual production of fisheries in Kaohsiung City is approximately 470,000 tons, accounting for 54% of the national output. The annual output value is around NT$36.2 billion, representing 44% of the total national output value. Kaohsiung City stands as the largest producer in Taiwan in terms of both volume and value within the fisheries industry. Significant income streams for the city include pelagic, offshore, coastal, and aquaculture fisheries, as well as the frozen aquatic products processing industry, solidifying Kaohsiung as a distinctive fishing hub in Taiwan.

To mitigate losses for fishermen and consumers caused by fluctuations in fish prices, and to monitor and regulate these through cold chain logistics facilities and production and marketing alerts, Mayor Chen directed the Marine Bureau to continue counseling fishermen's associations and fish markets on installing cold chain facilities, which is expected to help stabilize fish prices by adjusting production, distribution, and sales. Additionally, for the export of aquatic products, the Marine Bureau will continue to develop overseas markets based on the foundation established by the Halal Certification Counseling Program and actively invite local fishery associations and aquaculture industries to participate in the program.