Councilor Urges Implementation of 'Pingtung City Coin'; County Government Agrees to Study

Central News Agency, Pingtung County, June 1. Democratic Progressive Party Pingtung County Councilor Lee Shih-bin pointed out during a質疑 (interpellation) today that several counties and cities have already implemented city coins or digital currencies as part of their digital governance mechanisms, and suggested that the county government should promptly promote a 'Pingtung City Coin.' The County Government's Research, Development and Evaluation Commission (RDEC) agreed to study the proposal. The Pingtung County Council held departmental business inquiries today. Lee stated that promoting city coins has become a standard feature for local governments in Taiwan to implement digital governance. He cited Taitung County's 'TTPush,' which successfully overcame digital divides in remote areas and aging populations, allowing residents to purchase local produce; New Taipei City's 'New Taipei Coin,' which combines net-zero carbon and ESG concepts to encourage civic participation; and Nantou County's 'Dian Dian Tou' platform, which uses LINE to allow seniors to become members without downloading an app, applying points to health screenings and local discounts. Lee mentioned that New Taipei, Taitung, and Yunlin have formed a cross-county point-sharing alliance. He warned that if Pingtung does not join quickly, it may miss out on massive tourism dividends. He suggested the county government start a construction evaluation project, set a schedule, and have the RDEC lead the integration to bring tourism benefits to Pingtung's partner stores. RDEC Director Wang Pin-ching stated that they would study the operational mechanisms and broadly refer to the successful experiences of other local governments across Taiwan.