Taiwan's government is telling its business community in China to prepare for new legal risks, a warning that lands badly for companies with factories and staff on the mainland.

• Taiwan's semi-official cross-strait body gathered mainland-based Taiwanese businesspeople to study Beijing's new exit and entry rules.
• Officials say the laws look harmless on paper but can hide traps for people crossing the strait often.
• The number of Taiwanese going missing in China has risen over the past two years, prompting the safety warning.
• Taipei points to a 2017 law on foreign NGOs as the pattern: presented as clarity, used later to restrict.
• The message is still open to business — exchange programs backed by Taiwanese business associations will get support.

Outlook: Expect Taiwanese firms to keep shifting operations out of China as legal and personal risk on the mainland grows.