Taiwan yesterday opened Asia's longest road tunnel, which links the capital Taipei to the northeastern county of Ilan.
Also ranked the fourth-longest tunnel in the world, the 12.9km Hsuehshan (Snow Mountain) Tunnel will nevertheless lose the record next year, when the mainland's 18km Zhongnanshan Tunnel, through the Qingling mountains in Shaanxi is completed.
The NT$90.6 billion ($22 billion) tunnel, which took 15 years to complete, will cut driving time between Taipei and Ilan from 2 1/2 hours to less than 40 minutes, helping to promote tourism and industry in the rural northeast.
The project, which was begun in July 1991, spanned the terms of two presidents and eight premiers.
The opening of the tunnel, whose construction saw 25 people, including 13 Thai workers, killed by collapses or flash flooding, allowed embattled President Chen Shui-bian to trumpet the project as one of his government's major achievements, despite the corruption allegations surrounding his family. Mr Chen is under pressure to step down after his son-in-law was arrested last month for alleged insider trading while his wife has been accused of influence peddling.
Premier Su Tseng-chang presided over the opening ceremony, which was marked by the unveiling of a monument in memory of the people who died building it. Mr Su said he believed the 'achievement would bring prosperity not only to Ilan, but benefit all the people in eastern and northeastern Taiwan'.