Taiwan’s Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) said on Jan. 7 that the nation is planning to allow Chinese nationals to open accounts with the offshore securities units (OSU) of Taiwanese brokerage firms while traveling in Taiwan and buy shares on the nation’s stock exchange.

“When they (Chinese) visit Taiwan, they will be able to not only buy local pineapple cakes but also buy local shares by opening accounts in Taiwan,” said William Tseng (曾銘宗), chairman for FSC.

Tseng made his remarks during a press conference. He said that Taiwan does not need to “negotiate” with China for the issue. Also, he said, Taiwanese nationals are able to open accounts to buy shares when traveling overseas without any restriction.

Taiwan opened its stock market to Chinese qualified domestic institutional investors in 2010, and the new mechanism will allow individuals, retail, and big investors to invest in Taiwan’s stocks as well. Tseng said, however, the new proposal will not be carried out immediately, now that it takes time for the government to work out eligibility requirements.

“Opening accounts in Taiwan through financial services’ institution offshore units will have to be convenient for the plan to succeed, and the government must also figure out how to cooperate with travel agencies in preventing money laundering,” Tseng said. “We need time to draw up complementary measures.”

The chairman said that Taiwan’s government cannot continue to ban foreign investors, including the Chinese, while Taiwanese are allowed to buy shares overseas.

“Liberalization is a trend,” Tseng said.

Meanwhile, Tseng also mentioned that it is harder for financial institutions to expand their business in China and allow Chinese nationals to buy shares in Taiwan, while the cross-strait service trade pact continues to stall at the legislature.

“Anyway, I would expect to see Chinese investors buy shares in Taiwan by the end of June or in the third quarter,” he said.

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EVA Airways launches new route to Osaka from Kaohsiung

EVA Airways (EVA)(TPE: 2618) said on Dec. 3 that a new route between Kaohsiung and Osaka will be launched since Feb. 5, 2015.

EVA said that the route will be based on daily flights with A321-200s which will be capable for 184 passengers onboard. The airlines said that the new route will help boost its business in southern Taiwan.

“The introduction of services between Greater Kaohsiung and Osaka is the outcome of the company’s successful development in the market of southern Taiwan,” EVA said in a press release.

In 2013, EVA launched its flights between Kaohsiung and Tokyo, which has seen an average passenger load reach more than 80% and the evidence of the robust demand from the region.

CDH purchases China’s top battery maker from P&G

Procter and Gamble (P&G)(NYSE: PG) sold off a 78.8% stake in Fujian Nanping Nanfu Battery Co to Beijing-based CDH Investments Fund Management, the China Economic Review reported on Dec. 5.

It was also the first time for P&G to sell a brand to a Chinese buyer.

In August, P&G announced that it would divest the company of 100 product lines, accounting for 10% of sales. CDH said that it purchased China’s top alkaline battery maker for “nearly” US$600 million.

Last month, P&G said that it would sell the Duracell battery brand to Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A) for US$4.7 billion in stock.

Taiwan ranked 19^th on World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index: MOEA

Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) said on Dec. 5 that Taiwan has been ranked 19^th on World Bank’s latest Logistics Performance Index, following Singapore, Japan and Hong Kong in Asia.

MOEA said that a total annual revenue for the industry is around US$47 billion. Among 160 countries or areas, Taiwan is ranked 19^th and is the fourth in Asia.

Renegotiation of RQFII quota to be shelved: FSC

Taiwan Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) said on Dec. 4 that a program to allow Taiwan to invest RMB in China is unlikely to be disentangled from a trade deal and the issue would be left out of talks set for later this month.

China lifted its bans against Taiwanese investors to repatriate RMB to the nation’s onshore markets as part of a broader services trade agreement that was signed in June 2013. FSC said that the Renminbi Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor (RQFII) program would not be on the agenda o a cross-strait meeting of financial regulators in Beijing between Dec. 24 and Dec. 27.

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