Taiwan authorities urged to ease control over cross-Strait economic exchanges

A leading Taiwan financial newspaper on Monday urged the Taiwan authorities to ease its control over economic exchanges between the Chinese mainland and the island province.

The restrictions that Taiwan authorities have imposed on cross-Strait economic and business exchanges have blocked Taiwan's economic growth, Taiwan's Economic Daily News said in an editorial.

Though Taiwan has managed to maintain annual growth of around 3 percent over the past several years, the credit was mainly due to the island's manufacturing industry, the newspaper said.

Sooner or later, the fruit of past efforts would be exhausted, the newspaper said, warning that if the authorities continue to block enterprises from investing on the Chinese mainland, firms will have to consider leaving the island.

The newspaper said that many Taiwan companies went public in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Shenzhen this year, while only a few listed in Taiwan.

Voter turnout for the mayoral elections in Taipei was only 64.52 percent and 67.93 percent in Kaohsiung, the newspaper pointed out, which indicated a loss of voter interest in politics.

The Economic Daily News said political apathy reflected people's disappointment with the authorities -- a message which those in power would ignore at their peril.

Source: Xinhua