Taiwanese businesspeople in China whom Beijing perceives as independence-leaning or not choosing sides might face national security charges under its “common prosperity” policy, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said in a recent report.
The council commissioned experts to study the impact of the “common prosperity” policy on Taiwanese businesspeople in China and to provide suggestions.
The policy aims to promote and perfect the “third distribution system,” which would inevitably increase the operating costs and risks for Taiwanese businesses in China, the report said.
Photo: Chung Li-hua, Taipei Times
The third distribution, followed by the first, driven by the market and the second, driven by the government, is a social responsibilities-driven distribution to reduce the income gap.
The first distribution is to protect and increase wages as well as encourage labor-management negotiations regarding wages, which would affect the operating performance and willingness of Taiwanese businesses to invest, it said.
Beijing is likely to introduce the fourth phase of its tax reform this year, requiring businesses to disclose revenues along with the salaries of Taiwanese for auditing, it said.
If Beijing continues to introduce new taxable items, it could affect Taiwanese businesspeople’s willingness to invest, it said, adding that they might face probes over tax fraud that put their personal safety at risk.
The policy might also be used by Chinese local governments to determine the political leanings of Taiwanese businesspeople and their stance on Taiwanese independence, it said.
From now on, Taiwanese businesspeople’s compliance with Chinese policies might be judged by their political stance, words, deeds and personal connections, rather than their capabilities to run businesses, it said.
Under the “common prosperity” policy, Chinese governments at all levels might consider personal opinions and business networks of Taiwanese businesspeople to have national security ramifications and press charges, it said.
Taiwanese businesspeople who are deemed pro-independence or supported both Taiwanese independence and unification with China to hedge their bets might be charged under the National Security Law or the Criminal Law, it said.
The policy might also be used as a tool in business dispute mediations to attack business
competitors, it said.
The study suggested that Taiwanese businesspeople heed their words and deeds as well as gather information on the tendencies of Chinese local governments.
They should also comprehensively examine whether any aspect of their industry might be at odds with the policy and related regulations, it added.
NEW AGREEMENT: Malaysia approved imports last year after nearly two years of negotiations and inspections to meet quarantine requirements, officials said Up to 3.6 tonnes of pomeloes from Taiwan cleared Malaysian customs on Friday, in the first shipment of Taiwanese pomeloes to Malaysia. Taiwan-grown pomeloes are popular in domestic and overseas markets for their tender and juicy taste, the Ministry of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency said. The fruit is already exported to Japan, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore and the Philippines, it added. The agency began applying for access to the Malaysian market in 2023, compiling data on climate suitability, pests and diseases, and post-harvest handling, while also engaging in nearly two years of negotiations with Malaysian authorities and submitting supplementary
PEAK MONTHS: Data showed that on average 25 to 27 typhoons formed in the Pacific and South China seas annually, with about four forming per month in July and October One of three tropical depressions in the Pacific strengthened into a typhoon yesterday afternoon, while two others are expected to become typhoons by today, Central Weather Administration (CWA) forecaster Lee Ming-hsiang (李名翔) said yesterday. The outer circulation of Tropical Depression No. 20, now Typhoon Mitag, has brought light rain to Hualien, Taitung and areas in the south, Lee said, adding that as of 2pm yesterday, Mitag was moving west-northwest at 16kph, but is not expected to directly affect Taiwan. It was possible that Tropical Depression No. 21 would become a typhoon as soon as last night, he said. It was moving in a
Tigerair Taiwan and China Airlines (CAL) today announced that several international flights were canceled or rescheduled due to Typhoon Ragasa. The Central Weather Administration (CWA) has maintained sea and land warnings for the typhoon. Its storm circle reached the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春半島) on Taiwan's southern tip at 11am today. Tigerair Taiwan said it canceled Monday's IT551/IT552 Taoyuan-Da Nang, IT606/IT607 Taoyuan-Busan and IT602 Taoyuan-Seoul Incheon flights. Tomorrow, cancelations include IT603 Seoul Incheon-Taoyuan, as well as flights between Taoyuan and Sapporo, Osaka, Tokyo Narita, Okinawa, Fukuoka, Saga, Tokyo Haneda, Nagoya, Asahikawa and Jeju. On Wednesday, the IT321/IT322 Kaohsiung-Macau round-trip would also be canceled. CAL announced that today's
Three tropical depressions yesterday intensified into tropical storms, with one likely to affect Taiwan as a typhoon, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The three storms, named Mitag, Ragasa and Neoguri, were designated as storms No. 17 to 19 for this year, the CWA said. Projected routes indicate that Ragasa is most likely to affect Taiwan, it said. As of 2am today, Ragasa was 1,370km east-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻) on the southernmost tip of Taiwan. It was moving west-northwest before turning northwest, slowing from 11kph to 6kph, the agency said. A sea warning for Ragasa is unlikely before Sunday afternoon, but its outer rim