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People fear China's hostility toward businessmen: poll

A majority of people fear Beijing's hostility towards pro-independence Taiwanese enterpreneurs in China would undermine the nation's economic outlook, a survey showed yesterday.

In the telephone survey of 1,134 people, 61 percent said the economy would suffer if Beijing imposed sanctions against Taiwanese businesspeople who support independence but do business in China.

Only 22 percent said the move would have no negative effect on the nation's economy, according to the results of the poll by the ERA Survey Research Center.

The survey was done on June 2 and 3 after a sharply worded attack in China's official media last Monday on Taiwanese enterpreneurs who have investments in China but are perceived as supporting Taiwan's independence.

It was followed by another article by a researcher at a Chinese government think tank on Thursday, which suggested that Beijing could impose sanctions in a bid to prevent Taipei from moving toward independence.

Both reports, though later denied by Beijing, sent Taiwanese share prices plunging 6.72 percent over the week as investors figured that the already strained relations would take a turn for the worse.

The poll also showed 54 percent of the respondents believed the nation would suffer more losses from the absence of direct links than China and 22 percent said otherwise. Close to 10 percent said both sides would suffer equally, it added.

While most Taiwanese expressed concerns over Beijing's bellicose rhetoric, they were less worried about China using force against this country.

The survey showed 62 percent said the chances of China invading Taiwan diminished as cross-strait business exchange boomed and only 17 percent disagreed.
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