China opens businesses to foreign firms in Shanghai FTZ

BEIJING -- The Shanghai Free Trade Zone (FTZ) has attracted 157 Taiwan enterprises, with gross registered capital of $270 million, a mainland spokeswoman said Wednesday.

The finance, electronic commerce and medical care will continue to be the key sectors in the FTZ for luring Taiwan businessmen, said Fan Liqing, spokeswoman of the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, at a press conference.

Fan said the mainland encourages cooperation between economic zones on the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.

The Shanghai FTZ was built as a test bed for deepening market-oriented reforms and boosting economic vitality. The FTZ began operating last September.

Economic exchanges between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait have also maintained good momentum, Fan said, adding that four economic events will be or have been held on the mainland in October, including the Zhejiang/Taiwan Cooperation Week, which opened on Monday.

According to Fan, 74,792 mainland people traveled to Taiwan during the National Day holiday from Oct 1 to 7, up 71 percent year on year.