Half of Taiwanese want to work in China for higher pay, but many of those who are already working in China want to return home, a survey showed on Sunday, the dpa reported.
According to the survey of 1,299 career people by the 1111 Job Bank, 54 per cent of people within Taiwan said they want to work in China for higher pay and better career prospects, the online survey of the human resources company showed.
The reasons given for wanting to work in China are the improved Taipei-Beijing ties since the inauguration of Taiwan's Ma Ying-jeou, of the pro-China ruling party KMT, on May 20 and the greater job opportunities in China.
Among the 1,299 interviewees, 11 per cent have worked in China or are working in China, being posted or sent on short-term assignments in China by Taiwan companies. They said their salaries in China were on the average 26,000 Taiwan dollars (800 US dollars) higher than salaries in Taiwan.
However, among those who have worked long-term or are currently working in China, 65 per cent plan to return to Taiwan for reasons having to do with their families, unhappiness with their work or China's work environment.
Lured by China's huge market and cheap labour, tens of thousands of Taiwan manufacturers have moved production to China, hiring local workers and using Taiwan executives and professionals to supervise the mainland operations.