Pilot free trade zone creating valuable, close business connections with Taiwan

Fujian will take full advantage of the Fujian Pilot Free Trade Zone to deepen its business cooperation with Taiwan, senior officials said.

The Fujian Pilot Free Trade Zone started operation in April 2015. It is designed as a major platform for business facilitation between Fujian and the neighboring province of Taiwan. It consists of three areas in Fuzhou, Xiamen and Pingtan.

Over the past three years, the zone has rolled out 71 measures aimed at benefiting trade and investments with Taiwan, according to Zhong Muda, deputy chief of the Fujian Department of Commerce.

For example, Taiwan's investors who launch businesses in Fujian can enjoy the same treatment as local companies in Fujian, in terms of market access, access to government subsidies, business registration and taxation, according to Zhong.

He added that the free trade zone offers the most efficient customs clearance procedures for products from Taiwan.

"It is very common that fruit collected in Taiwan in the morning can be sold in Fujian markets in the afternoon," Zhong said.

In the last three years, more than 2,000 Taiwan-funded companies have been added to the Fujian Pilot Free Trade Zone, according to the bureau.

Beginning this year, more incentives are being rolled out to improve trade and investment between the two sides.

On May 24, the Fujian provincial government released a plan for deepening reform and opening-up of the free trade zone, with new measures in place to promote further Fujian-Taiwan cooperation.

The measures cover more market opening-up, financial cooperation, more efficient customs clearance and more entrepreneurship platforms for Taiwan's residents.

In addition to the provincial government, the zone's three core areas all have their own measures for implementing the provincial plan.

In Fuzhou, authorities announced 47 measures, with an emphasis on receiving industrial transfers from Taiwan, according to Liang Yong, deputy chief of the free trade zone's Fuzhou area.

Xiamen issued 132 measures in hopes of exploring further potential in the fields of culture, sports, education, advanced manufacturing and modern services.

Authorities in the Pingtan area of the free trade zone said they would like to collaborate with Taiwan's businesses and professionals in sectors relating to healthcare, elderly care and the operation of public facilities.

"To attract more professionals from Taiwan, we will offer more work permits to Taiwan residents once they have passed an assessment by the professional qualification certificating center in Pingtan," said Li Shunjie, deputy chief of the Pingtan area of the free trade zone.

Pingtan is one of the three core areas of Fujian Pilot Free Trade Zone, as it is the province's nearest place to Taiwan. [You Zenan/For China Daily]