An unsourced report in Taiwan’s Commercial Times (here via Bloomberg) says that some of the first companies on the island to offer to sell stakes in themselves to Chinese companies may include state-owned ones. Chinese companies will be able to take part ownership of Taiwanese companies, and vice versa, from the end of this week as part of the formal improvement of ties between Beijing and Taipei.
The first mainland investment in Taiwan we’ve heard of is China Mobile’s plans to take a $530 million 12% stake in Taiwan’s FarEasTone. The first known deal, however, was in the opposite direction. Taiwanese chip maker United Microelectronics says it will buy China’s He Jian Technology in a $285 million deal that will give it 85% of the company.
China Bystander 