The Investment Commission yesterday said it has approved Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Holding Ltd (阿里巴巴) to operate in Taiwan for another six months, as the Executive Yuan’s Administrative Appeals Commission is still reviewing the punitive action taken against the company.
The Investment Commission in March ordered Alibaba to withdraw its investments from Taiwan by the end of this month after it ruled that the online retailer had breached Taiwan’s investment regulations.
FINED
Alibaba in 2008 entered Taiwan by registering as a Singaporean company, Alibaba.com Singapore E-commerce Private Ltd, instead of as Chinese company — which the appeals commission ruled was in violation of Taiwan’s investment rules — and fined Alibaba NT$120,000 (US$3,640.77).
EXTENSION
Alibaba in May appealed to the Executive Yuan’s Administrative Appeals Commission against the ruling.
Investment Commission acting executive secretary Emile Chang (張銘斌) yesterday said that the Administrative Appeals Commission has not reached a conclusion in Alibaba’s case.
WITHDRAWAL
However, the company at the end of last month requested an extension of its operation for another six months, until February next year, Chang said.
Considering that the order of investment withdrawal is “irreversible,” Chang said the Investment Commission agreed to give Alibaba another six months in Taiwan.
“We understand that the Administrative Appeals Commission may need more time to review our punishment against Alibaba, as once we ask the company to leave, it cannot easily return to Taiwan,” Chang said.
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