Lai Qingde visits Yongkang post‑rain, backs school land flood pool, urges calm politics.

President Lai Ching‑te visited Tainan this afternoon, traveling south to the area surrounding Kunshan University of Science and Technology in Yongkang District to inspect the road flooding caused by the recent heavy rain. Facing the severe challenges of extreme weather, President Lai not only listened to grassroots water‑management needs but also demonstrated firm support for the collaboration between the Tainan City Government and the university to advance flood‑control projects, particularly the innovative plan to install underground or large retention ponds on campus land. During the inspection he addressed the political commentary and unfounded criticisms that have surfaced during the disaster‑prevention period, urging society to remain rational, reduce unnecessary political bickering, and unite around a consensus on flood mitigation.

The core site of the damage assessment is the vicinity of Kunshan University of Science and Technology, which has long been a persistent flooding hotspot in Yongkang District during heavy rain. The area is relatively low‑lying and lies close to key drainage channels such as Sanyegong Creek. When intense rainfall occurs over a short period, the water often cannot drain in time and overflows onto the roads, causing severe standing water at the university entrance and surrounding commercial area. This not only disrupts daily traffic and safety for local residents but also makes it extremely inconvenient for students and faculty to come and go. Although the Tainan City Government has recently invested in several flood‑control measures—including the expansion of pumping stations and dredging of drainage culverts—conventional drainage infrastructure is still strained by the frequent extreme weather and super‑heavy rainfall. This reality compels local authorities to seek more forward‑looking, large‑scale water‑regulation solutions.

Against this backdrop, the city government and Kunshan University have been actively developing an innovative water‑management blueprint. The plan proposes using vacant campus land or suitable sites to build large retention ponds or underground storage spaces. The concept—“borrow land for flood storage”—entails temporarily channeling part of the rainfall into campus retention facilities during critical peak‑rain periods, thereby easing the load on surrounding drainage channels. Once the rainfall subsides and the water level falls, the stored water would be released back into the system. After reviewing presentations and conducting a site inspection, President Lai expressed strong endorsement and full support for this cross‑agency collaboration. He emphasized that, in the face of climate change, central and local governments must break from traditional thinking, harness urban space for multifunctional flood planning, and integrate university and municipal resources to find resilient long‑term solutions for Yongkang.

Nevertheless, every disaster or localized flooding event tends to trigger criticism and scrutiny in the public arena. President Lai specifically addressed this issue at the inspection site, calling on the public to base discussions on objective facts and to curb unfounded criticism. He stressed that Taiwan’s flood‑control projects are a long‑term, ongoing public investment, involving central and local flood teams, frontline engineers, and local governments working tirelessly to protect citizens. Excessive political bickering without factual basis not only fails to solve grassroots flooding problems but also risks demoralizing frontline responders. He hopes society will provide more support and encouragement to local governments and the university, working together to enhance Taiwan’s overall climate resilience.

From a broader perspective, the water‑management case around Kunshan University underscores Taiwan’s shift, under global climate change, from a “quick‑fix, rapid‑drainage” approach to a new phase of “national resilience and spatial flood distribution.” The frequency and intensity of extreme rainfall have risen markedly in recent years, and relying solely on traditional hydraulic infrastructure is often insufficient. Integrating urban planning, land use, and smart flood‑control measures is essential. If the Tainan City Government’s partnership with the local university succeeds and delivers the expected results, it could not only resolve Yongkang’s long‑standing flooding issues but also serve as a benchmark for other Taiwanese metropolitan areas, promoting industry‑academic‑government collaboration and diverse land use. Continued cooperation between central and local authorities will be the key to ensuring Taiwan’s steady progress amid the threats posed by climate change. (Source: Central News Agency)