Anger flares as mainland Chinese muscle in on Taiwan property

Labourers work at the construction site of Beijing-based developer Vantone Real Estate's apartment project in the suburb of Taipei August 8, 2014. REUTERS/Pichi Chuang

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Mainland Chinese are skirting rules aimed at limiting their purchases of property in Taiwan, stirring anger among local home buyers and fuelling worries over Beijing's creeping influence over an island that it views as a renegade province.

While Chinese money has boosted property markets across the world - from Sydney and London to Vancouver - mainland capital flows into the self-ruled island are an especially emotive issue for many Taiwanese. The government in Taipei has been criticised by some for not being more restrictive on mainland ownership of Taiwanese real estate.