Fujian FTZ to Highlight Cross-Straits Cooperation

Fujian， as known to all， will play the card of cooperating with Taiwan in itsFTZ blueprint.

The proximity to each other and deep-rooted cultural similaritieshave both contributed to the flourishing communication and collaborationbetween Fujian and Taiwan over a long period.

With the establishment of the FTZ in Fujian， namely parts of Pingtan，F(xiàn)uzhou and Xiamen， deepened cooperation will be made with an explosion ofbusiness opportunities， said insiders.

\"The FTZ is of great significance to Fujian， as it will strengthen itsattractiveness to Taiwan. More investment from Taiwan will be realized and theFTZ will serve as a springboard for Fujian's enterprises to go global，\" said YuanJianliang， chiefofthe Fujian branch ofthe China Development Bank.

The sentiment is echoed by HeMingjun， assistant chairman of aTaiwan-funded medical equipmentproducer based in Xiamen， who addedthat the wide FTZ coverage in Fuzhou，Pingtan and Xiamen is a signal toTaiwan for more economic and tradingcommunications.

The Shanghai Pilot FTZ， inits first year of operation from Sept.2013 to Sept. 2014， attracted 157Taiwan-funded companies with a totalregistered capital of 270 million USdollars. Shanghai saw its export andimport trade volume with Taiwan soarover 5.7 billion US dollars in 2013.

The numbers are moreencouraging in Fujian. Figures showedthat from Jan. to Nov. 2014， a total of389 Taiwan-funded enterprises settledin the province for the first time， anincrease of 75 percent year on year.Currently 23 percent of overseas-funded companies in Fujian are fromTaiwan， which is almost triple theaverage level on the Chinese mainland.

Many experts have proposed thatFujian and Taiwan can explore a newcooperation mode based on their ownfree trade parks in a bid to facilitatetrade.

\"Through the FTZs， Fujian andTaiwan can carry out more cooperationin shipping logistics， financial services，commercial service， cultural industryand so on，\" said Zhang Guangping，head of the Topology ResearchInstitute in Taiwan.

Fujian urged tomake betterpreparation

Fujian willtake advantage ofthe establishmentof a FTZ to pushfor reform andinnovation in varioussectors， accordingyo You Quuan， PrartySecretary ofthe province.You noted Fujian willstrive to build a tavorable businessenvironment and adjust some economicpolicies.

He made the remark at a workingconference on Dec. 30， 2014， two daysafter central authorities announced theset-up of three new FTZs in Fujian，Guangdong and Tianjin with easedinvestment rules to speed up reformsamid economic hardship.

The essence of the adjustment，which will take effect in March and willlast for three years， is that governmentapprovals will end as a precondition foroverseas companies setting up venturesor changing their purpose of businessin these zones.

Instead the companies only needto file a report to the authorities. Theadjustment will take effect in Marchand willlast for three years，

The FTZ preparation andconstruction in Fujian has officiallystarted， and authorities shouldmake innovation based on differentexperimental areas， study and line upspecific regulations for new reformprograms and outline goals， said You.

The FTZ in Fujian covers 118.04sq km in all and will highlight full-scale cross-Straits cooperation withTaiwan.

As one ofthree parts consisting ofthe FTZ in Fujian province， Fuzhoucity will roll out more measures andincentives to benefit people-especiallytourists and shoppers.

Fuzhou boasts competitivenessin the modern financial industry，modern manufacturing， cross-Straitse-commerce， and the marine economyas well as service trades， according to anofficialwith the municipal FTZ office.

To strengthen those industries，F(xiàn)uzhou plans to promote a series ofpeople's livelihood projects includingan e-commerce platform， an importedfood trading market and a passengerferry terminal in Langqi Island， headded.

It means that after completionof those projects， local residents canbuy imported food and commoditiesmore easily and at a much lower price.Tourists'oyutside Fujian are likely tobe able to apply for travel per yitsto Taiwan in Fuzhou. In addition，Taiwanese vehicles are expected to beallowed to drive in Fuzhou.@

(Source: chinadaily.com.cn )