The head of Taiwan’s National Police Agency, says security preparations for next month’s presidential election are already underway in Taiwan. Director-General Chen Kuo-en said Monday in an interview that the agency has already begun to make arrangements with other agencies, and that no stone will be left unturned.
President-elect Tsai Ing-wen will take office in a ceremony on May 20. Previous inaugurations have taken place in front of the Presidential Office Building in downtown Taipei.
Chen said that security officials are still working out which areas will be designated as restricted areas, as well as traffic flow plans.
Meanwhile, Chen also responded on Monday to questions about a NT$550 million (US$17 million) national anti-terrorism center which is planned for Taoyuan, northern Taiwan. The construction, which began in 2011, hit a major setback after the company that was building it went under.
Legislators criticized a move to have the national center downgraded to a branch of the police agency, saying that it was a step backward. But Chen said Monday that the government places a high value on anti-terrorism efforts. He said the reason for downgrading the center had more to do with the center’s location, which he said was not suited for a national-level anti-terrorism center.