Mainland expedites preferential policy for Taiwan compatriots

BEIJING -- Chinese mainland has released new measures for implementing preferential policies for Taiwan compatriots, An Fengshan, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said Monday.

The new measures issued this month by North China's Tianjin Municipality, East China's Zhejiang Province, Central China's Hubei Province and Kunshan City in East China's Jiangsu Province, will make it easier for Taiwan compatriots in terms of employment, housing, investment, business, education for children and other fields.

Elementary and junior high school students from Taiwan in Tianjin will have equal rights with Tianjin citizens. Children of Taiwan compatriots who are employed or have investment in Zhejiang now enjoy equal rights with local students, up to junior high school.

Taiwan compatriots who have lived in Tianjin for a year have equal rights with Tianjin citizens in buying houses and obtaining a mortgage. Preferential policies on buying houses are also detailed in measures of Hubei and Kunshan.

Taiwan entrepreneurs in Hubei can enjoy financial support, tax cuts and professional training and have access to more than 130 vocational qualification examinations.

Taiwan-funded companies in Zhejiang enjoy the same policies with private companies and foreign companies. Taiwan compatriots who intern or work for companies in Zhejiang or who start their own businesses have equal access to subsidies or guarantee loans.

Kunshan provides preferential policies to Taiwan-funded e-commerce companies, supports Taiwan-funded companies to take part in international expositions, and encourages mainland's State-owned companies to purchase cultural and sports products and services from Taiwan.

Taiwan-funded enterprises can invest in services for the aged in Tianjin and they enjoy power, water, natural gas and heating prices for local residents and preferential treatment in terms of taxes, among others.