Taiwan's government has invited Chinese companies to take part for the first time in an upcoming annual investment promotion conference in Taipei amid thawing relations across the Taiwan Strait, a local official said recently. The Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) will hold the fourth annual Taiwan Business Alliance Conference Oct. 6-7 to showcase investment opportunities in Taiwan across many industries. This year will mark the first time that Chinese companies will join the event as the Taiwan government has been easing restrictions on cross-strait trade and investment since the May 20 inauguration of President Ma Ying-jeou, said Berton Chiu, director-general of the ministry's Department of Investment Services. Ma favors closer ties with China and has promised to boost Taiwan's economy by opening up the island to Chinese investment. More than 600 business executives or representatives from 25 countries and areas, including those from Europe, the United States and Japan, will attend the event, Chiu said. Yang Yuanqing, chairman of China's largest computer maker Legend Holdings, will also join one of the conference's two summit forums, Chiu disclosed. The conference will feature eight panel discussions focusing on the light-emitting diode (LED) , biotech, micro-electro-mechanical, financial and insurance, leisure and tourism, and logistics industries. Participants will also discuss potential business opportunities to be generated by Taiwan's 12 major infrastructure projects and liberalized cross-strait investment environment, Chiu noted.
