Taiwan firms urged to contribute to cross-Strait peace

Taiwan enterprises should fulfill their social responsibilities and play an active role in promoting the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, the Chinese mainland's Taiwan affairs authority said on Wednesday as probes of Foxconn Technology Group, a major electronics manufacturing contractor, are being conducted.

The comments came after it was reported on Sunday that Chinese mainland tax authorities are conducting inspections of key enterprises of Foxconn in Guangdong and Jiangsu provinces, while natural resources regulatory departments are carrying out on-site checks of the company's land use in Henan and Hubei provinces.

Responding to the island's Democratic Progressive Party authorities, who called the move a political operation, State Council Taiwan Affairs Office spokeswoman Zhu Fenglian said that mainland authorities treat all enterprises equally and conduct compliance investigations in accordance with laws and regulations.

"Our policy stance of respecting, caring for and benefiting our Taiwan compatriots will not change, and we will continue to support Taiwan businesspeople and enterprises who want to invest and operate on the mainland," she said.

Zhu said the mainland will create a favorable development environment and continue to improve policy measures that benefit Taiwan compatriots and companies, providing opportunities and space to aid their development on the mainland.

While Taiwan enterprises enjoy the benefits of substantial growth on the mainland, they should also fulfill their social responsibilities and actively contribute to the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, she added.

Foxconn, formally known as Hon Hai Precision Industry, is a key supplier of Apple products. It has major production bases in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, and Zhengzhou, Henan province.

Liu Xing-ren, an associate professor from the Taipei-based Chinese Culture University, said while achieving development on the mainland, Taiwan businesspeople need to consider the space and opportunities the mainland has offered for them to exert themselves.

The spokeswoman also expressed opposition to any form of military exchanges between the United States and China's Taiwan region, or providing arms to the island by any means.

The remarks came after US President Joe Biden considered a supplemental request of about $100 billion that would include defense aid for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan, according to a Reuters report last week.

Zhu said: "The act is not like extinguishing a fire but rather adding fuel to it. The facts clearly demonstrate that wherever the US interferes, the people there are likely to be trapped in a war."

DPP authorities in Taiwan who attempt to seek "independence" through military means will only turn the island into a "powder keg" and increase the risk of military conflict in the Taiwan Strait, putting our Taiwan compatriots in a dangerous situation, she said.