The Chinese mainland does not treat Taiwanese-funded companies that go public on mainland stock markets any different from mainland companies, a spokesman said in Beijing on Wednesday.

The criteria and approval procedures for Taiwanese-funded companies and mainland companies which plan to go public on the mainland A-share market are the same, said Yang Yi, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council.

Yang made the remarks in response to reports in Taiwan-based media saying that the mainland required Taiwanese-funded subsidiaries to be spun off from parent companies listed in Taiwan before going public on mainland markets.

"The mainland encourages qualified Taiwanese-funded companies to go public on the mainland and take advantage of the broader fund raising channels," Yang said.

So far, seven Taiwanese-funded companies have listed on mainland A-share markets, following the same procedures as mainland companies.

Source: Xinhua