Public Land Release: Legislator Chen Ying Calls for Review of Rigid Mountainous Land Designations
Legislator Chen Ying pointed out that the government's resumption of public land release excludes mountainous land due to rigid standards. She urged a review to reflect actual usage, especially in Taitung where over 90% of land is designated as mountainous despite being farmed.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 29, 2026 at 11:12
- 🔍 Collected: April 29, 2026 at 11:31 (19 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 29, 2026 at 11:32 (1 min after Collected)
Central Message: The Ministry of the Interior announced the resumption of public land release, but mountainous land remains excluded. Legislator Chen Ying stated that the designation of mountainous land is rigid and should be reviewed to reflect actual usage. She also emphasized that historical shifts in land management agencies have affected applicants' rights, calling for consistent and reasonable review standards.
Legislator Chen Ying (DPP) told CNA this morning that she, along with legislators Tsai Yi-yu and Chen Kuan-ting, held a public hearing on the 'Public Land Release' policy at the Legislative Yuan yesterday. She noted that all 16 townships in Taitung have land classified as mountainous. Before the Taitung office of the National Property Administration (NPA) was established in 1998, state land management was complicated, involving the Taitung County Government, Taiwan Sugar Corp (Taisugar), the Veterans Affairs Council (VAC), and Land Bank of Taiwan.
During yesterday's hearing, she specifically addressed Taitung's issues, urging the Ministry of Agriculture to review 'mountainous land' criteria and establish processing principles for cases affected by agency transfers. She expressed satisfaction that President Lai Ching-te announced the resumption of land release last November, but noted it currently only covers 'plain farmland' and 'aquaculture land.' Since over 90% of Taitung's land is designated as mountainous—including many flat plateaus used for long-term farming—this creates a significant gap from reality.
As an example, she cited Yong'an Village in Luye Township, a national classic rural village. Despite being developed into a thriving farming community, it is still classified based on Japanese-era standards. She argued the 5% slope threshold is too rigid and excludes too many farmers. Furthermore, she mentioned cases where farmers worked the land since before the Nationalist government arrived, but policy changes shifted management between agencies (NPA, VAC, Taisugar), leading to application rejections despite the farmers meeting the spirit of the policy. She concluded that consistent principles are needed to ensure farmers are not penalized by bureaucratic transfers.
Legislator Chen Ying (DPP) told CNA this morning that she, along with legislators Tsai Yi-yu and Chen Kuan-ting, held a public hearing on the 'Public Land Release' policy at the Legislative Yuan yesterday. She noted that all 16 townships in Taitung have land classified as mountainous. Before the Taitung office of the National Property Administration (NPA) was established in 1998, state land management was complicated, involving the Taitung County Government, Taiwan Sugar Corp (Taisugar), the Veterans Affairs Council (VAC), and Land Bank of Taiwan.
During yesterday's hearing, she specifically addressed Taitung's issues, urging the Ministry of Agriculture to review 'mountainous land' criteria and establish processing principles for cases affected by agency transfers. She expressed satisfaction that President Lai Ching-te announced the resumption of land release last November, but noted it currently only covers 'plain farmland' and 'aquaculture land.' Since over 90% of Taitung's land is designated as mountainous—including many flat plateaus used for long-term farming—this creates a significant gap from reality.
As an example, she cited Yong'an Village in Luye Township, a national classic rural village. Despite being developed into a thriving farming community, it is still classified based on Japanese-era standards. She argued the 5% slope threshold is too rigid and excludes too many farmers. Furthermore, she mentioned cases where farmers worked the land since before the Nationalist government arrived, but policy changes shifted management between agencies (NPA, VAC, Taisugar), leading to application rejections despite the farmers meeting the spirit of the policy. She concluded that consistent principles are needed to ensure farmers are not penalized by bureaucratic transfers.