China says investment will help unification with Taiwan

BEIJING, March 11, (Agencies): China’s Industry Minister, Miao Wei, said on Saturday that investment across the Taiwan Strait can help achieve China’s aim of achieving unification with the self-ruled island, and called for Taiwan to be more open to Chinese businesses.

China deems Taiwan a wayward province to be taken back by force if necessary, though proudly democratic Taiwan has shown no interest in being ruled by autocratic China.

Defeated Nationalist forces fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing a civil war with the Communists, but since a thaw began in the 1980s Taiwanese businesses have poured money into China, drawn by a common culture and language.

Chinese companies have also begun investing in Taiwan, but have run into problems since last year’s election of Tsai Ing-wen as president from the Democratic Progressive Party, which espouses China’s formal independence, a red line for Beijing.

China is deeply suspicious of Tsai, though she says she wants to maintain peace with China.

Speaking on the sidelines of the annual meeting of China’s parliament, Miao said economic cooperation between both sides of the Taiwan Strait had made huge progress in the last three decades since the two began their detente.

China welcomes Taiwan chip companies to invest in China, he added. “Of course, we hope that openness is two-sided, not one-sided,” Miao said.

“We encourage and support Taiwanese companies to develop in the mainland, and at the same time Taiwan should have an even more open attitude towards mainland companies entering Taiwan,” he added.

“This way industry on both sides of the Taiwan Strait can join hands to develop, which is good for both economies, and is also extremely helpful for promoting the unification of our two sides and achieving the aim of one China,” Miao said.

While his comments were broadcast live on state television, the section about promoting unification was not included in the official online transcript of his news conference, an ommission that was likely a sign of China’s sensitivity about being seen to use its companies to political ends.

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BEIJING: China’s industry minister on Saturday defended a manufacturing development plan and rejected complaints foreign makers of electric cars and other goods might be pressured to hand over technology or forced out of promising markets.

Miao Wei, Minister of Industry and Information Technology, tried to reassure foreign companies that the “Made in China 2025” industry plan treats all companies equally.

“The strategy and its related policies are applicable to all businesses in China, be them domestic or foreign,” Miao told a briefing.

Miao was responding to a report by the European Union Chamber of Commerce earlier this week that said China is violating its free-trade pledges by inducing foreign firms to give up encryption and other technology to potential Chinese competitors.

Technology is a growing flashpoint in trade tensions with Washington and Europe, which worry their competitive edge is eroding as Beijing buys or develops skills in semiconductors, renewable energy and other fields. China has faced mounting complaints the government improperly shields its fledgling developers of robotics, software and other technology from competition.

The plan calls for China to be able to supply its own high-tech components by 2020 and materials by 2025 in 10 industries from information technology and aerospace to pharmaceuticals. A broad outline was issued in 2015 and officials have been gradually releasing details.