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Guangdong province expects closer Taiwan ties

By Liang Qiwen (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-11-12 07:50

GUANGZHOU -- Guangdong province is looking forward to more cooperation with Taiwan on technology, agriculture and finance, a senior government official said.

Zhang Ke, vice-director of the Taiwan affairs office of the Guangdong government, said more cooperation in the three sectors will be the focus in future, the Guangzhou-based Nanfang Daily reported on Tuesday.

"We will review what we have done in promoting Guangdong-Taiwan financial cooperation in the past few years at a proper time next year," he said.

"Guangdong has done a lot of business promotion for Hong Kong and Macao investors. I believe promotion of Taiwan investors in the future will be as successful," Zhang said.

Now it is the best time for Guangdong and Taiwan to cooperate in developing hi-tech industries, he said.

Guangdong's large market can satisfy the output of Taiwan's fast developing optoelectronic industry, he said.

Guangdong and Taiwan also have opportunities to further strengthen agricultural cooperation, Zhang said.

"Guangdong's cross-Straits exchange promotion association set up an agriculture promotion commission in September," he said.

Up to June this year, 22,548 Taiwan companies had invested in Guangdong province, bringing the investment to more $50 billion.

However, most of the companies are small to medium-sized and labor-intensive.

The Guangdong provincial government recently implemented a strategy called "Double Transfer", which aims to transfer labor-intensive industries from the Pearl River Delta (PRD) to less developed regions of the province.

Also, workers from the less developed areas will be encouraged to work in local manufacturing and service industries, or find employment elsewhere in the delta.

Zhang said some cities in the province have been trying to figure out ways to help Taiwan companies.

Dongguan, for example, will set up a 5 billion yuan ($735 million) fund to develop hi-tech industries.

The city will also set up a 1 billion yuan fund to help companies, including those from Taiwan and Hong Kong, to upgrade, Zhang said.