Guizhou switch reaps rewards for Taiwan firms

With its unique climate, and much improved transport and infrastructure, landlocked Guizhou Province is attracting more investors and entrepreneurs from Taiwan.

“The various orchids, among other flowers, are growing very well here,” said Yu Jian-song, a businessman from Hualien County in Taiwan, while standing in the greenhouse of the Jinhui flower exports industrial park in Guizhou’s Anlong County.

Yu came to Anlong in 2016, becoming a professional floral manager after spending over 20 years in the flower business in Yunnan Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

“The market on the Chinese mainland is expanding non-stop, which is why I chose to start my business here,” Yu told Xinhua. 

He settled in Guizhou because its climate is suitable for flowers and a complete transport network offers easy access to the outside world.

With 240 hectares of planting area, the industrial park sells flowers to Vietnam, the Republic of Korea, Japan, the Netherlands and China’s Hong Kong and Macau.

The park has also brought a fortune for local residents. It cooperates with about 700 rural households, bringing each household extra annual income of 15,000 yuan (US$2,200).

Li Jing, deputy director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of Guizhou Province, said that ongoing efforts in restructuring and upgrading Guizhou’s agricultural industry have attracted Taiwan businesses to deepen cooperation with the province in tea, flower and fruit farming.

In recent years, the number of Taiwan-funded agricultural enterprises in Guizhou has maintained an annual growth of nearly 20 percent, according to Li.

Wu Siou-ying, a 58-year-old Taiwanese, believes that Guizhou and Taiwan should increase communication, as Guizhou’s climate and natural environment share many similarities with Taiwan.

He has been working in Yungu Pastoral Valley, an eco-agricultural sightseeing garden in Guizhou’s Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, providing technical and operational support. “Born in a farming household, I majored in agriculture at university and have been in this field for over 30 years. I want to introduce my experience to farmers in Guizhou,” Wu said.

By offering training programs at local farming schools and going on lecture tours, Wu trains 3,000 farmers each year.

The improved business environment and policy support are a major appeal for Taiwan investors. Guizhou provided favorable policies to Taiwan businesses in tax, financing, talent and incentives, following a 2013 guideline.

In recent years, a total of 17 Taiwan-funded enterprises have received support funds, worth 196 million yuan, from Guizhou.

In 2013, Taiwan businessman Chen Ping-chang set up his potato farming base in Taijiang County.

The potatoes grown at the base are not only sold to large enterprises on the mainland, but exported to Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore, Chen said, citing strong local government support.