Far Eastern Group chairman voices opposition to 'Taiwan independence'

Douglas Tong Hsu, chairman of the Far Eastern Group in Taiwan, said he has always opposed "Taiwan independence" and supported both the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus, according to an article published on Tuesday bearing his signature.

In the piece in the Taiwan newspaper United Daily News, Hsu showed his concern for the worrying anti-China developments in Taiwan.

Hsu expressed his hope for peace across the Taiwan Strait, urging that normal exchanges and interactions be maintained in the interests of the people.

Hsu called the mainland's progress "hard to ignore."

While the mainland is experiencing rapid development, officials and political figures on the island are paying most of their attention to votes and elections, with a lack of discussion on Taiwan's economic policies and industrial layout over the next three, five, or even 10 years, Hsu said.

He said the growing cross-Strait business and trade figures, despite the "zero interaction" on the political front between the two sides of the Strait in recent years, show the undeniable importance of the mainland market to Taiwan's economic development and trade growth.

"However, under the current political atmosphere in Taiwan, some public opinions make it seem that Taiwan enterprises should feel guilty for their development and investment on the mainland, which is just unnecessary," he wrote. "Taiwan industries don't need to stay out of the global trend, and should have a reasonable understanding and judgment of the mainland market, and should not place ideological differences above everything else."