Dispute Erupts in Alishan Fiber Project; Railway Office Urges Contractor to Comply
A dispute between Far EasTone (FET) and its subcontractor has surfaced in the Alishan Forest Railway fiber optic project. The authorities are urging FET to resolve the conflict and ensure the project is completed on time.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 28, 2026 at 12:49
- 🔍 Collected: April 28, 2026 at 13:01 (12 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 28, 2026 at 13:08 (6 min after Collected)
Chiayi County, CNA. Regarding a controversy involving a subcontractor in the Alishan Forest Railway fiber project, the Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office stated today that it has urged the contractor, Far EasTone (FET) Telecommunications, to resolve the performance dispute with its partner quickly and ensure the project for the Chiayi-Erwanping section is completed with quality.
The office issued a statement responding to media reports of 'black box' dealings and improper factory changes. They clarified that the issue is a dispute between FET's System Integration Branch and its downstream subcontractor. Deputy Director Chou Heng-kai explained that FET has been working on the 'Alishan Forest Railway Fiber Optic Installation Project (Mountain Section)' since September 3, 2024, and had entrusted a subcontractor with on-site operations, including materials and labor.
FET terminated the contract, claiming the subcontractor failed to meet requirements, and hired a new partner to accelerate the long-delayed progress. This led to the current dispute. While FET remains in negotiations with the original subcontractor, the Railway Office is monitoring FET to ensure contract compliance and timely completion. Chou emphasized that mediation has been attempted and suggested the subcontractor seek judicial arbitration. He noted that the Government Procurement Act regulates the relationship between the government and FET; the dispute between FET and its subcontractor should be handled according to their private contract, adding that complaining to the media would not solve the problem.
The office issued a statement responding to media reports of 'black box' dealings and improper factory changes. They clarified that the issue is a dispute between FET's System Integration Branch and its downstream subcontractor. Deputy Director Chou Heng-kai explained that FET has been working on the 'Alishan Forest Railway Fiber Optic Installation Project (Mountain Section)' since September 3, 2024, and had entrusted a subcontractor with on-site operations, including materials and labor.
FET terminated the contract, claiming the subcontractor failed to meet requirements, and hired a new partner to accelerate the long-delayed progress. This led to the current dispute. While FET remains in negotiations with the original subcontractor, the Railway Office is monitoring FET to ensure contract compliance and timely completion. Chou emphasized that mediation has been attempted and suggested the subcontractor seek judicial arbitration. He noted that the Government Procurement Act regulates the relationship between the government and FET; the dispute between FET and its subcontractor should be handled according to their private contract, adding that complaining to the media would not solve the problem.