For a long time, W. L. Gore & Associates had ruled out relocating parts of its textile production to the Far East, citing the care and expertise required in handling its products. These concerns seem to have been dispelled: the textile manufacturers will open a plant in Shenzen, which will supply the markets in Europe, America and Asia from 2003.

China's Finance Minister Xiang announced on the same day that tax privileges for non-Chinese investors will be drastically reduced from 2003 as a result of the People's Republic's accession to the WTO. It remains to be seen whether this will lead to a return migration of production capacities from mainland China to Taiwan. Conversely, practically all of Taiwan's major frame and accessory manufacturers opened plants in southern China at the end of the 1990s and relocated parts of their production there.