When Shao Yu-lian was appointed as Governor of Taiwan, he advised the Manchu court to make Taipei the provincial capital because of its large-scale business operation and transportation facilities.
巡撫劉銘傳於光緒十七年御職，由沈應奎接任，任職僅半年，又由邵友濂接事。邵友濂以為「台北位本島之上游，衙門庫局已告成立，商民輻輳，鐵路亦延長，舟車兩備。」故奏請清政府正式定台北為台灣省省會。