Yesterday, the vice director of the State Council's Taiwan Affairs
Office encouraged people in Taiwan to invest in the mainland,
particularly its less developed areas, whilst at an investment fair
in Yinchuan, capital of northwest China's Ningxia
Hui Autonomous Region.
Zheng Lizhong said the mainland had approved 66,028
Taiwan-invested projects by the end of June this year involving
contracts worth US$84.1 billion, with US$40.7 billion already in
place.
He was speaking at the three-day Ningxia Investment and Trade
Fair, which aims to promote investment in the region and includes a
seminar on economic cooperation between it and Taiwan.
Zheng said the fact the mainland is currently Taiwan's largest
export market showed "cross-Straits economic cooperation is
complementary and still has great potential."
The volume of indirect cross-Straits trade reached US$445.6
billion by the end of June, US$372.7 billion of which comprised
goods from Taiwan.
"We will as always encourage the Taiwan compatriots to invest in
the mainland, protect their legitimate rights and interests, and
provide them with good services and help," said Zheng, adding that
the West Development Program provides good opportunities for
greater investment from the island province.
(Xinhua News Agency August 3, 2005)