Chen can't halt mainland investment

Taiwan authorities approved 238 mainland-bound investments worth US$1.76 billion in the first three months of the year, up 46.31% year-on-year, despite a recent order by President Chen Shui-bian to tighten up on such activities. The island's Ministry of Economic Affairs showed mainland investments last month amounted to US$853.4 million, up 65.7% from March 2005 and almost double the island's US$483.2 million in investment in regions other than the mainland. Chen has repeatedly warned against the overheating effect and potential risks of mainland-bound Taiwan investments.