IBM Taiwan Corp yesterday remained evasive about rumors that the government tried to prevent China's largest personal computer (PC) maker Lenovo Group Ltd (
"We [IBM Taiwan], along with IBM's branches in other countries, have lodged our applications in compliance with local regulations after the [acquisition] deal was settled on May 1," said Laurence Hwang (黃維德), executive of IBM Taiwan's personal systems group.
Hwang declined to comment on reports that the government was trying to obstruct China-based Lenovo's bid for the local IBM branch.
"We will endeavor to complete the whole process as early as possible," Hwang said, without giving a clear timeframe.
The company originally hoped to be taken over by Lenovo and start operations by the end of the current quarter, following the Chinese firm's takeover of IBM's PC unit.
Hwang also shied away from confirming any alternatives IBM might be considering, such as setting up a branch in Taiwan by IBM's Dutch PC unit, and then transferring the stakes to Lenovo to bypass potential regulatory interference, a Taipei-based Chinese-language business daily reported on Tuesday.
Minister of Economic Affairs Ho Mei-yueh (何美玥) said yesterday that the case is not as complicated as it seems, as IBM's Taiwan unit is engaged in procurement and retailing, rather than investment.
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