One of Taiwan’s richest businessmen has pushed back against claims that he secretly backs the island’s formal independence from China, breaking his silence for the first time since coming under fire from the Chinese Communist Party.
Douglas Hsu, chairman of the Taipei-based Far Eastern Group, said he opposes the notion that Taiwan is an independent country and is concerned about rising anti-China sentiment in Taiwan. In an opinion piece for the United Daily News Tuesday, he highlighted the importance of the Chinese economy to Taiwanese companies.
"With the political atmosphere as it is in Taiwan right now, public opinion leaves Taiwanese businesses feeling guilty when they invest in China,” he wrote. "It doesn’t need to be like this.”