Investor blasts cross-strait deals

MILKING A BULL:The head of an association that represents Taiwanese businessmen who fall victim to the Chinese said it looked like Chinese policy to prey on Taiwanese
 
By Chris Wang  /  Staff Reporter

An investment protection agreement between Taiwan and China would be useless if China remains a country that was not ruled by law, a Taiwanese businessman said yesterday, claiming his assets were illegally seized in China.

“The agreement, if signed, would be a ‘highway to hell’ for Taiwanese businesspeople,” said Shen Po-sheng (沈柏勝), 50, at a press conference at Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) headquarters, adding that Chinese companies had conspired with China’s judiciary to seize his wealth.

Shen, who first invested in Tianjin, China, in 1992 when he was in his late 20s, said all of his assets were seized by his Chinese partners the following year.

During the past 20 years, he said he has battled the Chinese government to no avail — until his attempted suicide in Tiananman Square in May 2009 caught the attention of the Chinese central government.

It was his second attempted suicide and third protest on the world-famous square since 2007.

Shen, who has not returned to Taiwan since 2004, eventually received a reimbursement of 16 million yuan (US$2.5 million), less than one-tenth of his initial investment of 180 million yuan, before coming back to Taiwan on July 2.

Beijing forced him to sign a reconciliation agreement and warned him against disclosing his experience to the media, Shen said, adding that he decided to speak out so everyone would know the truth.

The Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Protection of Taiwan Compatriots’ Investment was adopted in 1994, he said.

“However, at the end of the day, China is not a country ruled by law,” he said.

“Shen is one of more than 2,000 Taiwanese businessmen framed by Chinese every year,” Victims of Investment in China Association president William Kao (高為邦) said.
 
Shen was one of the lucky few who at least got some money back, Kao said, adding that most victims returned to Taiwan empty-handed.

“Having handled many victims’ cases, I can almost say that it is a Chinese policy to prey on Taiwanese businessmen and eventually annex Taiwan,” Kao said.

He challenged President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) cross-strait economic policy, saying that Ma’s attempt to create a win-win situation with an evil regime was “like milking the bull.”

Kao and Shen said the proposed investment protection agreement, which was ironically reported to be discussed in Tianjin in the seventh round of bilateral negotiation by the end of this year, would not address two important issues facing Taiwanese businesspeople — whether arbitration will be conducted in a third country and who will be in charge of implementing the arbitration results.

China’s track record shows that it is not a trustworthy country to shoulder this responsibility, Kao said.

The agreement should actually protect business investment and human rights and should not be signed before numerous cases like Shen are resolved, TSU Chairman Huang Kun-huei (黃昆輝) said.

Taiwanese in Concepcion safe after Chile quake: MOFA

Taipei, March 2 (CNA) Six Taiwanese expatriates in the central Chilean city of Concepcion were safe after a devastating magnitude 8.8 quake struck the country Saturday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said Tuesday.

Three of the six Taiwanese in Concepcion, which has a population of about 1 million and is located about 115 kilometers from the quake epicenter, could not be reached immediately after the temblor due to communications breakdown, but they have now all been confirmed safe, MOFA spokesman Henry Chen said.

"Two staff members from the MOFA's office in Chile, carrying food and water, drove for eight hours from Santiago to Concepcion and got in touch with all their compatriots there, Chen said. "They are all safe." According to the MOFA, there are 1,300 Taiwan nationals in Chile and most live in the Santiago area some 300 kilometers north of Concepcion. Internet and phone communications were still down in Santiago, the MOFA said.

According to news reports out of Chile, the death toll from the quake as of Tuesday was 723 and climbing. It is estimated that two million people have been displaced or otherwise affected by the disaster.

After the South American country decided Monday to accepting donations and foreign aid, the Taiwan government announced that it will donate US$200,000 for earthquake relief and said it stands ready to offer other humanitarian assistance if asked.

Meanwhile, a trade promotion group that was scheduled to arrive in Santiago March 24 as part of a South American tour will not cancel its visit, said the organizer of the trip, Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA).

TAIWAN HELPS APEC PARTNERS BRIDGE DIGITAL DIVIDE WITH ADOC INITIATIVE

Taipei, July 24 (CNA) The APEC Digital Opportunity Center (ADOC), an initiative submitted by Taiwan in 2003 at an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting, has been helping bridge the digital divide in APEC countries, representatives from seven APEC economies said Tuesday at the 2007 ADOC Plenary.

The plenary is a part of "ADOC Week, " which is taking place in Taipei from July 24-27. Delegations from Chile, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam will also attend an ADOC forum and an ADOC award ceremony.

Taiwan took on a "daunting challenge" in helping bridge the digital divide in various partner countries by establishing ADOC centers, representative from the Philippines said. Delegates said over 1,100 people in Papua New Guinea and 5,000 people in Peru have been trained by the center.

IT use and language skills are important elements for developing countries and Taiwan is helping with the former, said Juan Carlos Capunay, deputy executive director of the APEC Secretariat from Peru.

"ADOC's contributions over the past three years are both impressive and significant with the establishment and operation of 19 ADOC partner offices in seven economies and a focus on small- and medium-sized enterprises and education, " Capunay told more than 200 delegates in his remarks.

The ADOC initiative was submitted by former Academia Sinica President and Nobel laureate Lee Yuan-tseh as the Taiwan representative at the 2003 APEC meeting in Bangkok, that looked to transform the digital divide into digital opportunities in the first stage from 2004 -- 2006. In the second stage from 2007 -- 2008, the initiative aims at developing e-commerce and e-trade in various countries.

The one-day forum slated for Wednesday will focus on the theme of "bridging the digital divide" and a number of international and local speakers will be invited to share their thoughts and experiences.

The ADOC awards consist of trophies to recognize the best information and communication technology practices from 18 cases selected from six countries.

Taiwan's devotion to the initiative is beneficial to local businesses as well, said officials from the Institute for Information Industry -- the main organizer of the event. The platform provides Taiwanese IT companies with opportunities to work with ADOC members.

TAIWAN LEVERAGES ITS ICT ADVANTAGE IN APEC WITH NEW INITIATIVE

Taipei, Nov. 7 (CNA) Riding on the success of previous efforts, Taiwan will once again leverage its advantage in information and communication (ICT) technology at the upcoming informal leadership meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, a government official said Tuesday.

Taiwan will submit an initiative titled the "2006 APEC Cultural Digital Archive Sharing Program" at the summit, which will be held in Hanoi from Nov. 18-19, said John Chen, director- general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Department of International Organizations.

The objective of the initiative is to help APEC members preserve their cultural assets with Taiwan's advantage in the ICT sector and experience in cultural assets preservation, Chen said.

The campaign is the third consecutive initiative Taiwan will have submitted at an APEC summit, following the "APEC Digital Opportunity Center (ADOC) " in 2003 and the "ADOC plus OVOP (One Village, One Product)" in 2005.

The technology-based initiatives make President Chen Shui-bian's appointment of Morris Chang, chairman of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), as Taiwan's APEC representative very reasonable and appropriate, he noted.

To some extent, Taiwan has changed its strategy on its APEC participation after clashing with China on different occasions over the years, Chen said.

APEC was established as an organization that focuses on economy and technology issues, although it has expanded to include other discussions. Taiwan has been concentrated on the economy and technology issues, trying to facilitate regional cooperation and assist other members of the international community, he said.

Since 2003, six ADOC offices have been set up in APEC countries such as Chile, Vietnam, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, with help from Taiwan. The OVOP initiative last year also won praise from APEC members.

"Taiwan has been trying to help its international friends to cross the digital divide into digital opportunities. We believe this is another way to win support and friendship, " Chen said.

WOMEN JOURNALIST CONGRESS DISCUSSES INTERNET AGE MEDIA

Taipei, Oct. 28 (CNA) Women journalists and writers from all over the world gathered in Taipei Saturday to discuss media in the Internet age in a two-day congress.

The 17th World Congress of the World Association of Women Journalists and Writers (AMMPE) will discuss the theme in four topical seminars: television and broadcasting, e-papers, print media and e-writing.

"The Internet has brought significant changes to the ways people send messages between people and countries. It makes communications more instant and more interactive. However, it also brings about certain dangers and blind spots, " said AMMPE International President Jennifer Shen, who is an anchorwoman of China Television Company (CTV).

AMMPE, a member of the non-government organizations of the United Nations, was incorporated by founder Gloria Salas de Calderon in Mexico in 1969.

International participants of the event came from Chile, Canada, Japan, Mexico and Hong Kong.

Topics to be discussed in the open seminars included Taiwan's media reforms and women's activism, Internet journalism in Latin America, how the print media copes with online fashions and trends and challenges, and opportunities of online reading.

PERU, CHILE PROMOTE LOCAL CULTURAL INDUSTRIES

Taipei, Aug. 30 (CNA) The governments of Peru and Chile are working hard to promote their local cultural industries and help boost their economies, Peruvian and Chilean officials said in a two-day international forum that concluded in Taipei Wednesday.

The two South American countries, both of which have rich histories and cultural heritages, are working through government initiatives to promote the development of their local cultural industries, Chilean official Javier Chamas and Peruvian official Madeleine Burns said during the APEC Local Cultural Industry Market Development Forum.

In 2003, the Chilean government established the National Council of Culture and Arts (NCAC), which started financing cultural projects with a US$17 million annual budget, said NCAC Secretary-General Chamas.

"The projects are selected on a competitive basis, by means of public contests, " he said, adding that approximately 20 percent of all submitted projects are annually financed.

NCAC's biggest challenge will be moving from financial aid into the promotion and broadcasting of local cultural goods, while trying to promote Chile's cultural industry in foreign markets.

The Peruvian government has also launched a campaign of establishing CITES -- technological innovation centers of handicrafts and tourism -- as the regional integrator.

"Peruvian crafts are very important, involving at least 2 million people located in rural and suburban areas and bringing women and young people into productive activity, " according to the director of the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism.

There are 100,000 registered workshops and 12 CITES that have been approved or are under evaluation in Peru, she said.

To provide easier access to markets, the Peruvian government also helps the local cultural industry to establish Web sites and produce digital catalogues to promote the development of exportable offers, she explained.