Taipei, May 16, 2008 (CENS)--Taiwan Stock Exchange Corp. (TSEC) is soliciting medium and small Taiwanese firms located in Southeast Asia back to Taiwan to launch their initial public offers in Taiwan Stock Exchange.

TSEC chairman Wu Rong-I noted in the next one year, between 10 and 15 Taiwanese firms, especially those located in the Southeast Asia, will come back to Taiwan for launching first listing.

In the early stage, the TSEC will zero in on the firms located in Southeast Asia for launching first listing in Taiwan and then target the firms in mainland China after May 20, as the new Kuomintang government will ease the regulation that domestic firms` investments in the mainland cannot exceed 40% of their net worth.

The TSEC-targeted firms include the overseas subsidiaries of domestic firms listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange and Over-the-counter Stock Exchange, the Taiwanese firms listed on Southeast Asian stock exchanges, and the unlisted Taiwanese firms in Southeast Asian nations.

Nevertheless, the TSEC regulates the overseas Taiwanese firms intending to launch IPOs in domestic bourse are required to score US$8 million in overall earnings over the past three years and US$4 million in the past one year. The Taiwanese firms in Southeast Asia nations intending to list on domestic bourse should have NT$600 million in paid-in capital or NT$600 million in net worth, or NT$50 million in market capitalization. Before making first listing on domestic bourse, these firms are requested to first list on the Emerging Stock Exchange and have to ask for assistance from securities underwriters for at least six months.

Wu noted many overseas Taiwanese firms have expressed their strong desires to launch IPO on domestic bourse as the Taiwan-based Central Bank of China has allowed Taiwanese firms to use 100% funds they raised on domestic bourse to invest overseas markets, excluding the mainland.
(by Ben Shen)