Taiwan companies should help promote peaceful cross-Strait relations, mainland says

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 probes 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.