Basic position of the MAC on China's establishment of the “Association of Taiwan Investment Enterprises on the Mainland”
1. The Chinese authorities will hold a ceremony in Beijing on April 16, 2007 to celebrate the founding of the “Association of Taiwan Investment Enterprises on the Mainland” (ATIEM), China’s first national-level Taiwanese businessmen’s association (TBA). According to related persons in China, the ATIEM will be mainly composed of local-level TBAs in China, and it is an alliance-type, non-profit social organization voluntarily formed by the Taiwanese businesspeople in China. Although the ATIEM has announced that such an association is established for serving and enhancing friendship among all Taiwanese businesspeople in China, it is evident that the ATIEM has strong significance for being part of China’s united front tactics against Taiwan if we analyze its founding process and related personnel arrangements. It remains to be seen whether or not the ATIEM can remain unadulterated and autonomous.
2. The TBAs in China are organizations established by Taiwanese investors in China according to relevant Chinese laws and regulations. They have been approved by the Taiwanese government since their objective is to serve the Taiwanese businesspeople in China and because they were spontaneously formed. Relevant agencies of the Taiwanese government also organize gatherings and seminars for TBA members during Taiwan’s three major holidays. However, the ATIEM is clearly tinged with the influence of the “Taiwan Affairs Office” and subject to certain interference by the Chinese authorities in its composition and personnel arrangements. The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) and related agencies will therefore continue to have concerns and understanding about the ATIEM’s operations. In the future, if the ATIEM does not represent the autonomous will of the Taiwanese businesspeople or if it develops in the direction of China’s united front campaign against Taiwan, the Taiwanese government will adopt necessary measures to handle the matter according to the laws.
3. The Taiwanese government has long shown high levels of concern about the predicament and various difficulties encountered by the Taiwanese businesspeople in China. It has also provided necessary assistance and services to the Taiwanese businesspeople through various means. We urge that the Chinese authorities should provide the broad masses of the Taiwanese businesspeople with the space to freely establish associations and to autonomously operate their associations instead of influencing China-based TBAs with political manipulation. We also hope that the Chinese authorities will not avoid interaction with Taiwanese government agencies, so that various difficulties and problems faced by China-bound Taiwanese businesspeople can be resolved through cross-strait negotiations. The relevant government agencies in Taiwan will also maintain contacts and communications with the TBAs in China. It is hoped that Taiwan’s efforts in this regard will not be affected by the ATIEM’s establishment, so as to ensure that Taiwan’s service system for the Taiwanese business community in China can embody the interests of all Taiwanese businesspeople.