TAIWAN

Relaxed Restrictions on China Imports Expected: Taiwan will relax import restrictions on semi-finished goods from China by early 1992 to prevent the nation being harmed by any trade friction between Washington and Beijing, officials said last week. The Economic Ministry had announced in September that it would allow selected imports from China to enter via third countries, but it was now speeding up the liberalization, the officials said. This would allow the finished product to be classed as goods made in Taiwan rather than in China, allowing the many Taiwan businesses that have relocated to China to circumvent any U.S. trade sanctions against China for failing to protect U.S. intellectual rights. Authorities in Taiwan allow the indirect import of 158 farm and industrial raw materials from China but had banned semi-finished goods to avoid hurting similar industries on the island.