Taiwanese businessmen in China will not enjoy any better protection as a result of China's newly released protection statute, unless the changes are fully enforced, experts said yesterday.
Speaking at the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF, 海基會) seminar, a group of academics, officials and Taiwanese businessmen in China made the comments in relation to measures announced by Beijing last week aimed at enticing Taiwanese businessmen to invest in China.
The new measures, a supplement to a law on the "Protection of Investment of Taiwanese Compatriots," were enacted retroactively from Dec. 5.
They permit Taiwanese investors to apply for loans from Chinese banks and to receive the same tax incentives as Chinese entrepreneurs.
The rules also make Taiwanese eligible for multiple-entry visas and authorize the repatriation of profits to Taiwan. In addition, they contain special provisions regarding personal safety, schooling and tourism, the state-run Xinhua news service reported yesterday.
Dominique T.C. Wang (
"Despite the Chinese authorities trying to provide more protection, and loosening restrictions for Taiwanese businessmen in China at an international level, the commitment to full enforcement of the rules remains unsatisfactory," Wang indicated.
Chu Chia-yi (
"The contents of 25 articles out of the total 31 ones are primarily based on its existing regulations applied to foreign investors," said Chu.
Personal safety also remains a major concern for Taiwanese businessmen in China, said Stanley Hsu (
"Despite the regulations already in place, it is more important that they are actually implemented, thus the safety of Taiwanese businessmen are ensured," Hsu said.
According to Hsu, arrests and imprisonment without trial for business violations are not uncommon in China.
"Taiwanese businessmen should at least be notified of the regulations for which they are accused of violating," Hsu said.
Taiwanese government and industry leaders have also reacted cooly to Beijing's announced measures, saying they are prompted by this year's sharp drop in foreign investment in China, particularly from Taiwan.
An official at the Mainland Affairs Council (3骨e會) said they won't necessarily have any real effect on the safety of Taiwanese businessmen's investments or lives, as the situation on the mainland is still very fluid, both politically and economically.
The official added that China's continuing problems with deflation and the danger of expropriation following a political crisis are Taiwanese investors' major fears.
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