Why do 19100 Taiwanese funded enterprises choose to settle in Shanghai? Taiwanese businessmen want to ride a ride on high-tech | Shanghai | Enterprises

"In the past two years, our company's revenue has exceeded 1 billion yuan," Lin Shao'an, Deputy General Manager of Qiaoshan China Headquarters, a Taiwanese owned enterprise, told reporters. This is not only due to the optimization of the company's business policy - more attention to business opportunities in the mainland market, but also due to Shanghai's strong support for Taiwanese enterprises. As early as 2021, Qiaoshan Fitness Equipment Co., Ltd. was awarded the "Regional Headquarters of Multinational Companies" certificate, thus enjoying a series of preferential policies in Shanghai.

Shanghai is a gathering place for Taiwanese compatriots and a highland for Taiwanese enterprise investment. Data shows that Shanghai has approved a total of 19100 Taiwanese funded enterprises, attracting a total contract amount of 46.11 billion US dollars. From January to May this year, the total import and export trade volume between Shanghai Port and Taiwan reached 20.071 billion US dollars, and Taiwanese enterprises are increasingly becoming an important force in Shanghai's economic development.

Both sides of the Taiwan Strait are close to each other. In recent years, Shanghai has actively implemented the policy of equal treatment for Taiwanese compatriots and enterprises, further optimized the business environment related to Taiwan, and helped Taiwanese businesses and enterprises take root in Shanghai and develop better, continuing to contribute Shanghai's strength in deepening the integration and development of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.

Forming a joint force to promote the transformation and development of Taiwanese enterprises

At the beginning of this month, nearly 20 representatives of Taiwanese businessmen were invited to participate in the Shanghai Business Environment Symposium. Faced with the heads of units such as the Municipal Taiwan Affairs Office, the Municipal Development and Reform Commission, the Municipal Commission of Economy and Information Technology, the Municipal Commission of Commerce, and the Municipal Bureau of Justice, Taiwanese businessmen have proposed suggestions to strengthen corporate financial support, improve the efficiency of government services, and optimize talent policies. The responsible person of the relevant department responded on site, even if some questions could not be answered on the spot, they recorded the contact information of the Taiwanese business for better follow-up services.

At the venue, many Taiwanese businessmen who have been deeply involved in Shanghai admitted that the development of their enterprises has reached a time when they must take a leap. At this stage, not only do we need to work hard ourselves, but we also hope that the government can provide necessary support to help enterprises transform and develop.

"Taiwanese compatriots have their calls, and we need to respond accordingly. The Municipal Taiwan Affairs Office should play a leading role in Taiwan related economic work, work together with other departments to form a joint force, and continue to provide good service for Taiwanese businesses and enterprises in Shanghai, truly becoming the 'shop assistants' for the development of Taiwanese enterprises." The relevant person in charge of the Municipal Taiwan Affairs Office said.

In response to the financing needs of listed companies in Shanghai and Taiwan, the Taiwan Affairs Office communicates and coordinates with the Shanghai Stock Exchange and the Municipal Finance Bureau to provide professional support and guidance for Taiwan enterprises. Currently, there are a total of 13 Taiwanese companies listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange, and many of them are preparing to do so; For Taiwanese companies hoping to achieve industry university integration, the Municipal Taiwan Affairs Office and relevant departments analyzed the needs of the companies and the advantages of universities, and successively facilitated the integration of companies and schools, such as Shida Food and Shanghai Ocean University, Delta Electronics and Shanghai University, and Dongsen Natural Beauty and Shanghai Tourism University, to enhance the R&D capabilities of the enterprises.

At the same time, facing the increasingly urgent transformation and upgrading demands of Taiwanese enterprises, Shanghai is actively guiding Taiwanese businesses to seize new opportunities for high-quality development. Not long ago, the Taiwan Compatriot Investment Enterprise Association in Shanghai held the 2023 Digital Economy Industry Summit Forum to introduce new developments in the construction of the Shanghai Science and Technology Innovation Center to its members. Ye Zizhen, Executive Vice President of the Municipal Taiwan Affairs Association and Chairman of the Science and Technology Innovation Industry Working Committee, introduced that Taiwanese enterprises should leverage their own advantages, seize the opportunity of Shanghai's development, and enhance their industrial capabilities.

This kind of docking has achieved results. Nowadays, there are 30 regional headquarters and 30 research and development centers of Taiwanese enterprises in Shanghai. The Municipal Taiwan Affairs Office will also provide cross disciplinary services to help more eligible Taiwanese enterprises apply for regional headquarters, research and development centers, and high-tech enterprises, helping them integrate into Shanghai's modern industrial system.

Building a platform to effectively convey policy information

In mid July, Liu Dawei, the president of the Shanghai Chiayi Hometown Association from the largest island in China, visited the third largest island to participate in the "Taiwanese businessmen entering Chongming" event. "The land here is good, the water is good, and the air is good, which is very suitable for the development of leisure agriculture and sightseeing agriculture." During the visit, Taiwan enterprise Daluge Group signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Changxing Island Country Park, Taiwan enterprise Gengwang Horticulture, Chongming District Zhongxing Town People's Government, the Municipal Taiwan Association Cultural and Creative Industry Working Committee, and Chongming District Homestay Association.

Prior to this, the Municipal Taiwan Affairs Office coordinated with Taiwanese investment needs and organized more than 300 Taiwanese enterprises to "enter" cities such as Jiading, Fengxian, Jinshan, Qingpu, Baoshan, and Songjiang. Organizing such activities stems from the issue of "information asymmetry" mentioned by some Taiwanese businessmen - how can the new policy of benefiting Taiwan in Shanghai and the industrial layout of various regions be quickly and accurately transmitted to Taiwanese enterprises? They bluntly stated, "I hope to have more investment information, regulations and policies.".

So, in addition to the down-to-earth "Taiwanese businessmen entering" event, the Municipal Taiwan Affairs Office has also set up a "Taiwanese businessman lecture hall" platform that connects to the antenna, inviting departments such as the Municipal Commission of Commerce, Financial Bureau, and Customs to give lectures to help Taiwanese businessmen understand macro policies. Currently, 18 sessions have been held. For example, in March this year, the "Taiwan Business Lecture Hall - Tax and Trade Cooperation Special Session" was held, inviting officials from the Municipal Taxation Bureau to introduce the city's export tax rebate policies and create a favorable business environment for Taiwanese export enterprises.

In addition, since the beginning of last year, the Municipal Taiwan Affairs Office has sorted out more than 130 policies related to the development of Taiwanese enterprises, and produced guidelines including "registration, project application, investment resources", etc. Taiwanese businesses can easily find them in the "Shanghai Taiwan Connect" mini program. In the future, the Municipal Taiwan Affairs Office will continue to collect information and update it in a timely manner according to policy changes.

Service desk youth, sharing the dividends of Shanghai's development

The future of both sides lies in young people. Nowadays, more and more Taiwanese youth are coming to Shanghai for employment, entrepreneurship, and business.

In the past, when Taiwan compatriots came to the mainland, it took at least a few weeks to get mobile phone cards and bank cards from the mainland to bind Alipay and WeChat. Since the beginning of this year, Shanghai's government and enterprises have collaborated to optimize overseas user service plans. Taiwanese compatriots in mainland China can use Taiwan bank cards to bind mobile payment software, truly achieving the goal of "traveling across the mainland with one mobile phone.".

Tai Qing is unfamiliar with Shanghai, how can he quickly enter the workplace? In recent years, Shanghai has actively built a "direct train" between students and enterprises. For example, this summer, 144 young people from Taiwan interned at eight institutions including the Shanghai Stock Exchange, Shanghai Futures Exchange, Bank of Communications, and Fuhua Bangyi Bank. There, they can experience the workplace atmosphere in mainland China, reserve workplace skills, and accumulate experience for future work in Shanghai.

As for those Taiwanese youth who aspire to start their own businesses in Shanghai, they can choose to participate in the Shanghai Cross Strait Youth Entrepreneurship Competition. This not only provides more exposure opportunities, but also facilitates project incubation by connecting with the Shanghai Bay Area High tech Zone Science and Technology Innovation Park after the competition. For example, last year's third prize "Senmin Antibacterial Peptide" project landed in the park and won the first round of strategic investment. Wu Xiaojing, Chairman of Shanghai Jinshan High tech Park Development Co., Ltd., said, "We hope to create opportunities for more Taiwanese youth to come to the mainland and share the development dividends here through our efforts."

In addition, Minhang District has established a shared space platform for Taiwan enterprise parks, achieving information interconnection, resource sharing, and market sharing within the 10 residential areas of the district, and helping different Taiwan enterprises grow together. Huang Baida, the general manager of Taiwan owned Hechuan Real Estate, was very emotional about this. "We feel the good business environment in Shanghai and welcome more villagers to come here to start businesses and embrace development opportunities."