Shandong to stress ties with Taiwan By Ju Chuanjiang (China Daily) Updated: 2004-09-02 15:02
East China's Shandong Province will accelerate its trade and economic
co-operation with Taiwan Province, planning to attract more than US$5 billion in
investment from Taiwan in the coming three years, said Shandong Governor Han
Yuqun yesterday.
The governor said the province will emphasize co-operation in the fields of
electronics, chemicals, auto manufacturing and machinery.
The remarks were made at the 10th Shandong-Taiwan Economic and Trade Talks,
which opened yesterday in Weifang.
More than 500 enterprises from the two provinces are participating in the
event.
Shandong has prepared more than 1,000 key projects for investors, with a
total investment of more than US$10 billion.
The annual event has become an important trade exchange platform between the
two sides, and Shandong is determined to turn the event into the largest
cross-Straits exchange venue in North China, Han said.
Han said Shandong is a major destination for Taiwan investment on the
mainland. The most recent official statistics show Shandong now has more than
5,560 Taiwan-funded enterprises, with a pledged investment of US$8 billion and
an actual investment of US$4.36 billion. During the first half of this year, the
figures reached US$1.6 billion and US$1 billion respectively.
The governor said Shandong's sound investment environment has attracted more
and more Taiwanese investors.
In recent years Taiwanese investment in Shandong has grown by 30 per cent
annually.
Cities such as Weifang, Yantai and Qingdao are the major destinations for
Taiwanese investment, which has been mainly channelled into fields including
electronics, machinery, food, chemicals and garments.
Taiwan-funded enterprises have made big contributions to Shandong's economic
development.
At present, about 30 Taiwanese-funded firms have each realized an annual
output value of more than US$12.1 million.
