A Guangdong branch of the State Legal Aid Foundation opened during a fair featuring products made by Taiwan-invested enterprises at the China Hi-Tech Fair Exhibition Center on Sunday.

The law service branch was established to serve Taiwan-invested enterprises in Guangdong Province, said Zheng Rongwen, chairman of the city's Taiwan merchants' association.

Since the first Taiwan-invested company opened in Shenzhen in December 1982, more than 3,800 Taiwanese companies had set up here with total actual investment reaching US$4.9 billion.

However, legal problems involving customs, taxation, business, security and others have been a headache for many of these companies, and beyond the capacity of the association to deal with. As a result, many Taiwan investors avoided selling in the domestic market, said Zheng.

The openings of the law service branch and a consulting company, Gengxing Investment Counseling Co. Ltd., were expected to provide the latest, accurate and authorized legal information as well as all-round service for Taiwan investors.

The fair, from June 27 to 29, has attracted more than 100 Taiwan-invested companies with 143 exhibition booths.

The government has been encouraging Taiwan investors to invest here and is thinking of more favorable policies to attract Taiwan investors.

(Shenzhen Daily June 28, 2004)