Traditionally, Taiwan business people on the mainland have concerned themselves with entrepreneurship. They have not been actively involved with politics, even for such important events as the island's "presidential" elections.

That trend is changing. As the date draws near for the island to select a new leader and the election campaign turns red hot, many feel strongly that they can no longer be indifferent bystanders. They are choosing to return to Taiwan to cast their votes.

Teng Wen-tsong from Taiwan, a bar owner based in Shanghai, has been busy in recent days making ticket reservations for fellow Taiwan business people who, like himself, will return for the election.

As an initiator, Teng's petition works well. So far he has got 12,000 followers, according to the Shanghai-based Oriental Morning Post.

That figure, however, represents just a small percentage of the total number of Taiwan business people who are planning to return home for the March 20 vote. Teng told the paper his appeal has been received warmly. Among the 80 Taiwan business associations on the mainland, 70 have openly expressed their support for the idea.

According to the estimates of Teng, who started doing business in Shanghai in 1987, of the 1 million Taiwan business people on the mainland, 200,000 will go back to vote.

Teng stressed that they are doing this voluntarily. They have no other choice but to act to defend their own interests.

In the interview with the Shanghai-based newspaper, Teng expressed his worry about the series of separation-oriented activities by the island's current leader Chen Shui-bian, which have sparked confrontations and poisoned cross-Straits relations.

Their votes will go to those who will bring peace across the Taiwan Straits, Teng said in the interview.

With their own activities, these Taiwan business people display their disappointment and dissatisfaction with Chen Shui-bian's policies towards the mainland.

While the latest polls indicate obvious victory for neither party, votes from these business people, plus their family members, are likely to make some difference.

Chen has been accused of cheating his way to the current "presidency." He has been eating his words after winning the election.

During his last election campaign, he promised active efforts for realizing "three direct links" across the Taiwan Straits, which were sure to benefit Taiwan business people directly and greatly.

Over the past four years in office, however, Chen and his cohorts have laid down various obstacles to direct trade, transport and mail services across the Straits, despite the mainland's repeated appeals and practical efforts.

For his personal gains and those of his party, Chen has acted in total disregard of the interests of Taiwan business people and Taiwan compatriots in general, and jeopardized peace and prosperity on the island.

He has gone further down the road toward separation by pushing for a referendum on "independence," which will be held on election day.

Though cloaked with such words as "defence" and "peace," the referendum is a blunt provocation against the one-China policy, and aggravates the already strained relations across the Straits.

This is not something Taiwan business people and all the peace-lovers on the island are willing to tolerate.

Seeing that the usually ignored business people on the mainland are emerging as a big stake in the election, Chen harshly threw out new policies including pushing for direct transport across the Taiwan Straits to woo support.

But after so many previous disappointments, Taiwan business people, together with the peace-lovers on the island, will not be easily tricked this time.

(China Daily February 19, 2004)