MAC: China Should Not Make Buying Taiwanese Fruit a Political Issue
By TaiwanPlus
Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council says China should not politicize trade in Taiwanese fruit after Beijing approved imports of pomelo from select farms in parts of Taiwan governed by the opposition Kuomintang, which maintains friendlier ties with China.
Pomelo Politics
REPORTER:
Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council says cross-strait trade should not be used as a political tool.
That's after China says it will allow imports of pomelo from certain Taiwanese farms. Taiwan's agriculture ministry says 174 farms and 33 packing facilities have been approved by Beijing but says the decision was not made through official channels. These farms are all in Hualien County, which is controlled by the opposition KMT.
Chen Shu-wen (DIRECTOR-GENERAL, AGRICULTURE DEPT.):
Any local government that wants to export its pomelos is welcome to come and talk to us. We can share how to submit the required documents. We've been communicating through the [Hualien] legislator's office.
Beijing imposed a complete ban on Taiwanese citrus fruits in 2022.
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Cross-Strait Fruit Trade
REPORTER:
Pomelo politics return as China says it is allowing more imports from select Taiwanese farms ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival, a popular season for the fruit.
Taiwan's agriculture ministry says China has approved 174 farms and 33 packing facilities but says the process wasn't handled through official cross-strait mechanisms. Following a complete ban on Taiwanese citrus fruits in 2022, China has only allowed pomelo imports to resume from farms in Kuomintang-run county Hualien, despite other parts of the country also producing the fruit.
Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council accused the move as being a “Mid-Autumn Festival package” for united-front propaganda, saying agricultural trade should not be used as a political tool.
