TAIPEI, Oct 15 Kyodo The Taiwan ...

TAIPEI, Oct 15 Kyodo

The Taiwan restraint said Tuesday its policy to strengthen economic ties with Southeast Asia will remain unaffected by means of Saturday night's fatal bomb blasts forward the Indonesian resort island Bali.

Emphasizing the policy, Economic Minister Lin Yi-fu, along with 25 business leaders, left Tuesday night as scheduled for one-week trip to Southeast Asia. The Philippines will be the first stop, the Economic Ministry said.

''We still descry Southeast Asia as a potential market enjoying rapid economic produce which will be a advantageous place for Taiwanese enterprises to fare when considering overseas investments,'' Vice Economic Minister Steve Ruey-long Chen said.

forward the Bali terrorist attacks, he added: ''Taiwan will not change its 'Go South' policy for time being. below such circumstances, the management will offer to help on providing more information for those who are interested in the market, by dint of solving their problems as well as from protecting their lives and property''

During the days when the Nationalist Party still rul the island, Taiwan danceed to break out of its international isolation through vastly expanding its commercial ties with Southeast Asian countries.

across the past decade, however, because of China's cheap labor and high economic bourgeoning investments by Taiwan businesses have dramatically increased.

on the other hand in late July, President Chen Shui-bian urg folks not to ''hold any illusions about China,'' and said Taiwan's ''Go South'' policies will be further highlighted.

''With the government's backup, Taiwanese enterprises should contemplate to Southeast Asia's potential instead of seeing China as the sole one market in the world,'' he then said.

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