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China Stockpiles Options for Taiwan Charm Offensive

Ralph Jennings

   TAIPEI, TAIWAN - China, despite its pressure against Taiwan's military
   and foreign relations, is stocking up ways to charm the self-ruled
   island that it hopes someday to bring under its flag, experts believe.

   The Communist government will fulfill a list of incentives announced
   last year to interest Taiwanese people in investment, work and study in
   China and may come up with more, scholars in Taipei say. Because
   incomes are too low to afford housing in some cities, some of Taiwan's
   youth may go for China's slightly higher pay and exposure to its more
   internationalized economy, they add.

   On Sunday, five cities in Fujian province, the part of China
   geographically closest to Taiwan, announced they would increase the
   opportunities for Taiwanese youth to come over and start businesses, a
   channel they described as a "talent exchange," the official Xinhua News
   Agency reported.

   "Because of the very large size of mainland China's economy, and
   because its economy is actually still growing, plus its
   internationalization is better than Taiwan's, these major aspects will
   attract more Taiwanese to go over to try it out," said Huang Kwei-bo,
   vice dean of the international affairs college at National Chengchi
   University in Taipei.

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