A helping hand from Chinese mainland

The cultural sectors of both the mainland and Taiwan are highly complementary, and deeper cooperation between both sides is in the making

This was the fifth time that Frances Chen, the Taiwanese founder of Franz Collection Inc, attended the Cross-Straits Cultural Industries Fair, or CSCIF, an annual event held in Xiamen, Southeast China's coastal Fujian province.

Franz Collection Inc is a leading company that designs, creates and markets a variety of functional and home decor accessories. The collection includes porcelain tableware, vases and decorative accents, as well as a line of exquisite jewelry.

Tourists bustle around at an exhibition booth for artware from Taiwan at the Fifth Cross-Straits Cultural Industries Fair. [Photo/bjreview.com.cn]

"Last year, my company's exports were affected by the ongoing economic woes in the United States and Europe," said Chen. "Luckily, we still have the mainland market, which is stable and promising."

Franz Collection entered the mainland in 2005 and has been enjoying an average annual sales growth of over 20 percent. Right now, sales on the mainland account for 25 to 30 percent of the company's total, said Chen.

"When I created Franz Collection back in 2002, the United States was my major target market. Now great changes have taken place. The mainland market has become quite stable and we very much look forward to growing here. It's the focus of our future efforts."

Franz Collection is one of the over 600 culture, entertainment, TV and movie companies from Taiwan seeking business opportunities with their mainland counterparts at the Fifth CSCIF in Xiamen, which ran from Oct 26-29, 2012.

The annual fair, which is the most sought-after jumping point for Taiwan-based companies aimed at the mainland market, is an opportunity for creative minds on both sides of the Straits to exchange ideas.

Su Shih-chung, secretary general of the Taiwan Venture Capital Association, said companies in Taiwan are good at coming up with original ideas, but they need the market on the mainland to give those ideas better reach.

Both sides would benefit from deepened cooperation, he said at the Cultural Industry Investment Forum, a sideline of the CSCIF.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Ye Kedong, deputy director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said the fair, will lead to a prosperous culture industry for both sides and promote Chinese culture internationally.

A welcome move

Over the years, various government departments and companies on the Chinese mainland have aimed to create a hospitable environment to encourage the presence of Taiwan companies.

Taiwan's cultural industry has many advantages compared to those on the mainland, said Xu Xiangming, deputy director of the Xiamen Bureau of Culture, Broadcasting, Television, Press and Publication.

"They had an earlier start and more experience in international operations. They also have better marketing skills. Finally, there is solid interaction between industry players and the local government, and together they collaborate in pushing the industry forward," Xu told Beijing Review at the Fifth CSCIF.

Due to its proximity to Taiwan, Fujian province, and Xiamen in particular, has served as the frontier of cross-Straits cultural exchange.