Study On The Approach Of How Taiwan Compatriot-Funded Enterprise Associations In Mainland Could Effectively Participate In Taiwan-Involved Public Affairs

Taiwan Compatriot-Funded Enterprise Associations (referred to as "TCFEA") are non profit social legal entities approved by the Mainland government and voluntarily established by Taiwan compatriots. Since the founding of the first TCFEA-Beijing TCFEA in the year 1990,140 TCFEAs have been founded all over Mainland. They play an important part in guaranteeing the legal rights of Taiwan enterprises, bridging the understanding between government and enterprises, and promoting cross-straits economic exchanges. However, with the changes in the cross-straits relations and with the development of the economic and legal environment of Mainland, TCFEAs in some regions have encountered mounting operation problems. Variations in the development level of TCFEAs exist among different regions. Such problems not only affect the proper function of TCFEAs, but also inhibit the TCFEAs from playing a greater role in promoting the cross-straits relations. With the cross-straits relations nowadays at an important pitch-point, it is both necessary and urgent to lay more stress on the research of the functions of Taiwan enterprises, especially their functions in participating in public affairs.By studying the NGO theories both at home and abroad, combing the NGO-public-affairs-participating cases in continental China's mainland, Taiwan and Hong Kong, and observing firsthand information acquired through communication with Taiwan businessmen, TCFEAs and government officials working in the Taiwan Affairs Office, this paper will use the governance theory as an analysis tool to give a thorough dissection of the problems in the development of TCFEAs nowadays, including the restrictive factors in their participating as a third party in the public affairs which involve the development in the cross-straits relations. Through the dissection, this paper will discuss the newly emerged problems in the present cross-straits public affairs area and give a reflection on the handling of Taiwan related issues, thereby exploring the approach of how Taiwan enterprises could effectively participate in public affairs such as economic cooperation, youngster interchange and city communication between Mainland and Taiwan. This paper will also give proposals for the possible future cooperation between TCFEAs and the government.