Taiwan is hoping that a wave of investments by mainland Chinese investors in 2010 will boost the island’s stock exchange, the Financial TImes reported, citing Schive Chi, the chairman of Taiwan’s exchange. Schive said he expects closer economic ties across the strait to provoke a flock of Taiwan-owned businesses in the mainland to list on the exchange and he also expects big investments by mainland institutional investors. The previous regime of the Democratic Progressive Party caused many Taiwan-owned mainland-based companies to list in Hong Kong rather than Taipei, as it was difficult for them to raise capital in Taiwan. But closer economic ties between Taiwan and the mainland, he said, will allow Taiwan listed companies to appeal to mainland institutional investors. Two China-based Taiwanese food producers, Want Want and Tingyi, listed in Hong Kong, recently decided to issue Taiwan Depositary Receipts because of Taipei’s buoyant market and hundreds more companies are expected to follow their lead.