Taiwanese given ‘equal status’ on China’s mainland, but is Beijing just trying to buy their support?
Taiwan Affairs Office announces package of 31 measures that it says will open doors for island’s businesses and residents
Beijing on Wednesday introduced a raft of measures it says are designed to give Taiwanese companies and individuals freer access to opportunities and benefits on the Chinese mainland.
The package, drawn up by dozens of central government agencies and announced by the Taiwan Affairs Office, comprises 31 items, of which 12 relate to business matters and 19 to social and employment issues.
While office spokesman An Fengshan said the move was intended to put Taiwanese companies and residents on an equal footing with their mainland-based counterparts, the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council said it was little more than an effort by Beijing to buy political support.
Among other things, the new measures will allow Taiwanese companies doing business on the mainland to get involved in the “Made in China 2025” programme – the central government’s blueprint for upgrading the country’s manufacturing sector – as well as bid for infrastructure projects, and claim various tax incentives.
The move is likely to be welcomed by those involved in the creative arts and entertainment fields as it will provide easier access to mainland markets for Taiwanese films, television programmes and books.