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TAIPEI: Taiwan’s de facto embassy in Myanmar has advised Taiwanese companies operating in the country to fly the island’s flag and hang signs indicating they are from Taiwan to avoid being mistaken for China after factories caught fire financed by China.
The Chinese embassy said many Chinese employees were injured and caught in arson attacks on Sunday by unidentified assailants at garment factories in the Yangon suburb of Hlaing Thaya, and that it had called on Myanmar to protect Chinese citizens and property. .
China is seen as supporting the military junta that seized power in Myanmar, overthrowing the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.
READ: Chinese workers injured in factory attacks in Myanmar, says Chinese embassy
Taiwan is home to a large Sino-Burmese population and there are close cultural and commercial ties.
The island’s Foreign Ministry said on Monday (March 15) that only one Taiwanese company was involved in the violence, with 10 Taiwanese trapped inside the facility although they were safe.
He said Taiwan’s representative office in the country had contacted Taiwanese companies after receiving reports of attacks on companies with Chinese investments.
READ: At least 39 deaths reported in Myanmar on the bloodiest day since the start of the military coup
The bureau “suggested to Taiwanese businessmen that they hang signs in Burmese saying ‘Taiwanese company’ in their factories and that they hang the national flag of our country, and explain to local workers and neighbors that they are a Taiwanese factory, to prevent them from outsiders get confused and misjudge. “
Taiwanese companies in Southeast Asia have been confused with Chinese in previous protests, including in 2014 when thousands of Vietnamese set fire to foreign factories in an irate reaction to Chinese oil drilling in a part of the South China Sea claimed by Vietnam.
China claims democratic Taiwan as its own territory. Taipei does not have official relations with Myanmar, which formally considers the island to be part of China.
Around 270 Taiwanese companies operate in Myanmar with an estimated total investment of more than US $ 1 billion, including banks, textile and footwear factories.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the Financial Supervision Commission, Huang Tien-mu, told reporters in Taipei that Taiwanese banks in Myanmar were operating normally.
Three Taiwanese banks have branches in the country: Cathay United Bank, Mega International Commercial Bank and E.Sun Commercial Bank.
