Taiwanese giant slapped with fines over mainland regulatory violations, Xinhua says

Name: China insists Taiwan has no right to join United Nations
Uploaded: 2021-11-22T10:11:16.000Z
Duration: 1 min 15 s
Description: China insists Taiwan has no right to join United Nations

Far Eastern Group subsidiaries in Shanghai and four provinces punished over issues ranging from environmental protection to staff and fire safety rules

The conglomerate, a major election donor, funded a mayoral campaign for one of three top Taiwan officials on Beijing’s ‘separatist’ blacklist

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The action against Far Eastern Group comes amid rising cross-strait tensions. Photo: Reuters

Amber Wangin Beijing

Published: 6:11pm, 22 Nov 2021Updated: 10:20pm, 22 Nov 2021

Mainland subsidiaries of a major Taiwanese industrial group have been punished for a range of regulatory and legal violations, including environmental protection rules, state media reported.

The action against Far Eastern Group comes amid rising cross-strait tensions, as Beijing vows to resolutely crack down on the pro-independence camp in Taiwan while the self-ruled island fosters closer ties with the US and European Union.

The Taipei-based conglomerate is a major donor to the island’s election campaigns, according to Taiwanese media reports.

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China insists Taiwan has no right to join United Nations

Far Eastern-invested polyester and textile, and cement companies in Shanghai and the provinces of Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Hubei and Sichuan were penalised over violations related to environmental protection, land use, employee occupational health, production safety and fire protection, taxation and product quality, Xinhua reported on Monday.

The punishments ranged from fines, orders to pay tax arrears or rectify the issues concerned within a set time frame, to warnings that idle construction land would be taken back by the state.

The companies involved had admitted the charges, and investigations were still in progress, Xinhua said.

A spokesman for Far Eastern Group in Taiwan said they were still trying to understand the situation.