联合推动经济一体化

The first national-level association of Taiwan-funded enterprises held its inaugural ceremony in Beijing yesterday - a move which experts say will help boost cross-Straits economic integration and peace.

"Taiwan business people are all over the mainland now," said Chang Han-wen, the newly-elected chairman of the Association of Taiwanese-invested Enterprises on the Mainland. According to conservative estimates, there are at least 1 million Taiwan business people on the mainland.

The national-level association, comprising heads of Taiwan enterprise associations and representatives of Taiwan enterprises on the mainland, aims to serve the island's enterprises, protect their legal rights, boost relations with the ministries in Beijing and strengthen communication with mainland firms.

Chen Yunlin, head of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said the island has chalked up a huge trade surplus with the mainland and its trade with the mainland has become an indispensable driving force of Taiwan's economy.

"The mainland market provides huge potential for the expansion and industrial upgrading of Taiwan enterprises," he said.

Xu Shiquan, vice-chairman of the National Society of Taiwan Studies, said that the establishment of the association coincides with the mushrooming of Taiwan-funded enterprises on the mainland.

"Besides their number and scale, more and more Taiwan enterprises are keen to upgrade their industrial structure into the hi-tech sector," he said.

"Though they usually forge local associations, faster expansion and a larger scale require a higher level of coordination," he said.

Feng Bangyan, director of the Institute of Taiwan Economy at Jinan University in Guangzhou, said the association, which brings together many business heavyweights, would definitely pressure Taiwan authorities to grant more freedom for economic growth.

"The secessionists forces on the island can't hinder the ever-increasing economic bonds linking the two sides across the Straits," he said.