Taiwan-funded businesses flock to Fuzhou park

Lee Chao-hui said he felt lucky to have rented an office at a Taiwan entrepreneurship park in Fuzhou, Fujian province, just before the deadline.

"When the park was attracting investment in 2015, many people from Taiwan came to start their businesses here," the businessman from Taiwan said. "Those who came too late found there was no room left to rent."

Lee runs a healthcare company that has production and research bases back in Taiwan. He decided to set up a marketing office on the mainland in 1991 to expand his business.

He cited multiple reasons for the park's popularity, including a rental fee exemption for offices in the park during the first two years.

Also, employees can apply for apartments for rent, each ranging from 40 to 50 square meters and priced at 8 yuan ($1.20) per sq m on a monthly basis, much lower than the average market price.

The park is located in the Fuzhou area of the China (Fujian) Pilot Free Trade Zone. The zone was approved by the State Council in 2015 and also involves Pingtan county and Xiamen in Fujian province.

As the nearest province to Taiwan, the Fujian zone mainly promotes cross-Straits trading, financial cooperation and human resources exchanges.

With five parks, including operations focusing on cross-Straits culture and creativity, porcelain production, and entrepreneurship, the zone has attracted more than 200 Taiwan-funded projects, according to the management committee of the Fuzhou pilot free trade zone.

Lee said the pace of life on the mainland is much faster than that in Taiwan.

"We tend to think carefully before taking action, while, here, everything is changing so fast that you have to do it now before you are well prepared," he said.

The idea of entering the healthcare industry came from his and his daughter's cracked skin during winter, he said. He began to work on plant-extract skin products.

The market on the mainland is broad and has great potential, he noted, adding, "I expect our sales revenue to surpass 1 million yuan next year."

Before moving to Fuzhou, Lee had worked in Shanghai as a manager at Yonghe King, a Chinese fast food restaurant chain, and invested in real estate after his resignation.

"I have lived in several cities. Many of the habits and customs here are similar to Taiwan," he said.

Now he is looking forward to the upcoming job fair to recruit more graduates to his company.

As for current demand, he said he hopes to get more support to increase marketing channels.

Every few months, the local government holds routine meetings with the province's Taiwan residents to learn about their needs and seek advice on further improvements.

"It's good to have your voice heard," he said.

Government statistics show the zone had attracted 1,411 Taiwan-invested companies by April, contributing 90 percent to the total number of new Taiwan-funded businesses that have settled in the province since 2015.