Six Years of TCC DAKA: How Ten Million Footprints Fuel Community Prosperity and AI Mining

Shulin Chan｜Project Supervisor, Office of Responsibility and Sustainability

Back in 2020, TCC did something unexpected in Hoping, Hualien: we opened the heavy gates of our cement plant. Factories are usually hidden away from everyday life, but here, we chose to invite the public into our production areas. This was how "DAKA" was born—an open space that beautifully bridges an industrial site, local community life, and a welcoming rest stop for travelers.

Six years on, this industrial zone along the Suhua Highway has welcomed its 10 millionth visitor. While the number itself is a remarkable milestone, what truly matters is looking back at the rich tapestry of local stories and human connections woven by these millions of footsteps.

Note: In Chinese, 10 million is expressed as "1,000 ten-thousands" [1000萬]. Thus, "1000+1" beautifully captures the transition from this massive milestone to the very next step forward.

Six Years of Walking Side-by-Side

TCC Chairman Nelson Chang once noted, "A factory is never an isolated entity; it is forever bound to its surrounding community." The arrival of 7-ELEVEN and Starbucks brought the first glowing lights to this remote village, while LDC Hotels & Resorts infused Hoping with a fresh vision for hospitality. Meanwhile, partners from the Hoping and Aohua villages joined the park market. By offering their local dishes and handmade crafts, they gradually breathed a warm, human spirit into what was once an unfamiliar industrial site.

Over time, these brief stopovers have quietly grown into a real pillar of support. Through the "Hoping Emergency Funds," jointly supported by TCC and our market partners, a portion of the revenue flows directly back into the community. Over six years, this safety net has helped 155 indigenous families weather sudden crises. When a traveler's casual purchase becomes a local lifeline, the true meaning of tourism quietly evolves.

Another deeply moving story unfolds up on the Hoping mines. As TCC introduced AI autonomous electric mining trucks, 14 local drivers stepped up to embrace this new technology frontier. For them, it was no simple swap of machinery—it was a journey of relearning. Together, the entire Hoping industrial community is paving the way for a greener, more intelligent tomorrow.

"1000+1": A Reunion of Old Friends

The "DAKA 1000+1" milestone on March 12 felt less like a formal ceremony and more like an intimate homecoming. As a six-year montage lit up the plaza screen, market vendors and local partners watched their own shared history unfold. The footage awakened quiet memories of braving typhoons, enduring earthquakes, and waiting out the slow tourist seasons together. For many, that was the moment it truly sank in: they had carried each other through it all.

E.JAY, a young singer from Hoping's Qnragan tribe, took the stage to sing Light of Sanctuary. As his voice carried across the plaza, it became a gentle tribute to the journey they had walked together.

In a sweet, unscripted moment, children from Hoping Elementary wove through the crowd, gifting guests with postcards embedded with native Taiwanese oil chrysanthemum seeds. Their lively chatter filled the air as they debated where their own seeds would go—the schoolyard, or perhaps a sunny windowsill at home. It was a tiny, spontaneous gesture, beautifully grounding the grand milestone in the simple joys of everyday life.

Unveiled that same day, the "Graffiti Hall" signals the dawn of DAKA’s next chapter. Designed as a new base for an academy of sustainable practices, it will host everything from low-carbon cement crafting to environmental education. Here, sustainability is more than just a theory to study; through hands-on creation and lively conversation, participants discover how seamlessly it weaves into their daily lives.

Where the Next Journey Begins

While ten million visitors is undoubtedly a remarkable milestone to celebrate, for DAKA, the true heartbeat of this journey has always been the "+1".

That "+1" might be a weary traveler pulling in from the highway, a student shaping sustainable ideas, a tribal artisan arranging their market stall, or a miner embracing new technologies. When so many different lives naturally intersect here, the rigid walls separating "industrial zone" and "local community" simply melt away.

In the native Taroko tongue, "DAKA" translates to "lookout." Yet, this vantage point extends far beyond Hualien's sweeping mountains and the Pacific Ocean. It represents a broader, bolder vision: proving that when a factory is brave enough to open its gates, it discovers a beautiful new way to coexist with the world.

In this light, ten million visits aren't just a record of yesterday—they are the prologue to tomorrow. Everyone who crosses this threshold helps write the next chapter. You, too, are TCC DAKA’s next "+1."

AUTHOR

Shulin Chan｜Project Supervisor, Office of Responsibility and Sustainability

Passionate about running, hiking, swimming, and walking, I look forward to exploring more corners of the world on foot.