Tuesday March 04, 2008

Uncertainty over presidential elections three weeks away has prompted many in Taiwan to think of emigrating. But unlike the last big migration wave in 1995, few will be coming to New Zealand.

During the height of Taiwan's missile crisis in the mid-90s more than a third, or 12,000, of the 35,000 Taiwanese who moved out of the country chose New Zealand, according to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office. But the office's press counsellor, Andy Tseng, said that number had dropped to about a dozen families moving here permanently last year. "Taiwanese are choosing other countries like Australia, America and Canada, where they think opportunities for business and jobs are better."

Clarissa Chang, who lived in Auckland between 1999 and 2002, said New Zealand's image as a place where "Taiwanese can settle and live happily ever after" had "taken a beating". Thousands of Taiwanese, like her, had returned to Taiwan after failing to get good jobs or successfully run businesses here. Ms Chang, a public relations executive, and her doctor husband returned to Taipei after they failed to find employment in their professions.

The opposition Kuomintang (KMT) favours closer political, business and social ties with China, but some Taiwanese think that an opposition victory could mean loss of jobs and decent wages.

A television poll there on Sunday showed opposition presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou widening his lead over rival Frank Hsieh of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), and this, Ms Chang said, was further fuelling fear among many Taiwanese and forcing them to think of moving to another country. 

'Many are afraid that we will lose our jobs or be forced to accept very low pay because there will be millions of Chinese who will work for a fraction of what we earn," Ms Chang said.The Government Information Office's spokesperson in Taipei, Weiling Liu, told the Herald the country's relationship with China was becoming the key issue before the March 22 vote.

"People are extremely concerned, and many overseas Taiwanese, from as far as North America and even New Zealand, have indicated that they are coming back to vote."

(Source NZ Herald, Lincoln Tan)