Some Taiwanese businesspeople based in China, known as Taishang, called on the government to conduct a risk assessment of China's investment environment and provide more incentives for them to invest in Taiwan.
The heads of some Taishang associations made the suggestions to the government during the two-day Mid-Autumn Festival Conference and Gathering hosted by the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), the quasi-governmental entity that deals with cross-strait affairs in the absence of official ties between Taiwan and China.
About 150 heads and officials of regional Taiwanese business associations attended the event, as well as government officials and other dignitaries.
Ho Hsi-hao (何希灝), the head of the Zhangzhou Taiwanese businessmen's association, urged the government to disclose the risks associated with the investment environment in China, as the Chinese market is highly risky.
In response, You said that the SEF will make an assessment report on the investment environment in several major cities in China to provide a reference for Taishang.
The risk of investing in China results partly from its incomplete law enforcement system and partly because of deadlocked cross-strait relations, said Lin Jung-te (林榮德), who is head of Kunshan Taiwanese businessmen's association.
Taiwanese businesspeople are disadvantaged in China, Lin said, adding that Taishang face unfair competition.
"Taishang are easy targets for accusations of tax evasion and it is not easy for them to meet their financial needs through China's banks," Lin said.
Yeh Hung-teng (葉宏燈), a Taishang based in Dongguan, urged the government to provide more investment incentives to attract Taishang back to Taiwan.
"While the price of raw materials and the cost of labor have been gradually growing in recent years in China, the government should take the opportunity to help Taishang reduce production cost, the factor that prompts Taishang to move offshore," Yeh said.
The Taishang also paid a visit to the Far Glory Free Trade Zone, a park established with the aim of luring Taishang back from China.
The park integrates air cargo with a free trade port and is also the only one of its kind in the world, said Far Glory chairman Chao Teng-hsing (
The park is scheduled to begin operations in November and more than half of its sites have been booked, with most reserved by Taishang, said Tung Chi-wen (董啟文), the park's deputy marketing manager.
Lo Yuan-mao (羅元茂), the vice head of the Dongguan Taiwanese businessmen's association, urged the government to carry out cross-strait charter flights as soon as possible.
"The lack of cross-strait charter flights, which might significantly reduce transportation costs across the Strait might discount the benefits of the free trade zone," Lo said.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
UNILATERAL MOVES: Officials have raised concerns that Beijing could try to exert economic control over Kinmen in a key development plan next year The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) yesterday said that China has so far failed to provide any information about a new airport expected to open next year that is less than 10km from a Taiwanese airport, raising flight safety concerns. Xiamen Xiangan International Airport is only about 3km at its closest point from the islands in Kinmen County — the scene of on-off fighting during the Cold War — and construction work can be seen and heard clearly from the Taiwan side. In a written statement sent to Reuters, the CAA said that airports close to each other need detailed advanced
WEATHER Typhoon forming: CWA A tropical depression is expected to form into a typhoon as early as today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the storm’s path remains uncertain. Before the weekend, it would move toward the Philippines, the agency said. Some time around Monday next week, it might reach a turning point, either veering north toward waters east of Taiwan or continuing westward across the Philippines, the CWA said. Meanwhile, the eye of Typhoon Kalmaegi was 1,310km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, as of 2am yesterday, it said. The storm is forecast to move through central
RSS