Taiwan business people eye opportunities

It has been more than 30 years since the Chinese mainland has opened up its market for products from Taiwan: Millions of Taiwan business people are now increasingly focused on the mainland for investment opportunities.

Walking around downtown Hangzhou, a city on China's east coast, it's really not difficult to spot brands from Taiwan. C-straits Coffee was created by Taiwan businessman Yang Jinfa and his Hangzhou wife Jin Meiyang in 1997. It was one of the first coffee brands in the mainland market. Now it runs more than 600 coffee shops across the country. Li Guorong moved from Taiwan to Hangzhou ten years ago, taking charge of the giant restaurant group.

"The Chinese mainland has a population of 1.3 billion people, and accounts for one fourth of the world's population. For Chinese people food is very important. Coffee and western food can also become popular here as it offers different experience. We took this opportunity," Lee Kuoyen, Deputy General Manager of Zhejiang C. Straits Food Chain, said.

Taiwan artist Chen Minghu moved to the mainland in 1989. Born into a crafts family, he set up his workshop 23 years ago, doing sculpture on wood roots. The works of art are rich in the Buddhist culture, and all are made by hand. The carving of one big sculpture can take 5 to 10 years.

Chen Minghu, Chairman of Fushan Crafts, said, "Since my childhood, I was influenced by the great Chinese culture. Before 1989, I always wanted to see the mainland. After I arrived in the mainland, I found people here are very nice, and there were great business opportunities."

Chen has been selling most of his art pieces the Japanese market over the past years. As the Chinese mainland economy is so strong, he is switching his focus towards the mainland market.

Chen said, "The mainland population is 60 times the size of Taiwan's, and now the government has a lot of policies to encourage culture and the creative industry. It is going to be the best period ever."

Over 1.5 million Taiwan business people work and live in the Mainland. And this number is still rising. As the world economy is becoming more integrate, business men and women hope the cooperation cross Strait will make them more competitive.