A Taiwanese court decision halting construction of two hi-tech zones on environmental grounds has set off a wave of complaints from businesses fearing for their investments, officials said Tuesday. The Taipei High Administrative Court last week ordered an immediate halt to all building activity in the two zones -- Chihsing and Erlin, near the central city of Taichung -- saying environmental impact studies were incomplete. 'Economic development and environmental protection are equally important, and what we did is aimed at pursuing the biggest benefit for society,' the court said in its ruling. Executives, joined by officials in charge of industrial policy, criticised the decision Tuesday, saying it had pushed into limbo a series of projects worth several billion US dollars. At stake are a flat-screen plant planned by high-tech giant Au Optronics with an estimated cost of 100 billion Taiwan dollars (3.1 billion US dollars), and a solar cell factory designed by Sunner Solar Corp, among others. The National Science Council, which formulates policies for the high-tech industry, on Tuesday pledged to appeal the ruling. 'The ruling is improper,' said an official of the council reached by selfnews. While the ruling is not final, high-tech companies said they were in 'shock', arguing the high-tech zones were crucial to their investment strategies. 'Taiwan may be the only country in the world where national policy can be easily overturned,' said K.Y. Lee, chairman of AU Optronics Corp, according to the Taipei-based Liberty Times newspaper Tuesday. 'I'm afraid that not only industry but the country's competitive edge may be negatively impacted.... Even worse, investors may be scared away.' 