China Hits Taiwan with Trade Restrictions After Pelosi Visit
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – China suspended the import of a range of Taiwanese goods as tensions grow over a visit to the self-governed island by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Chinese commerce and customs authorities said on Wednesday they had halted exports of sand, a key material used in construction, and imports of Taiwanese citrus fruit and some types of fish.
According to Chinese authorities, imports of Taiwanese citrus and some types of fish are suspended. The restrictions were imposed due to excessive pesticide residue detected “multiple times” while some frozen fish packages had tested positive for coronavirus, they said.
In a separate statement, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said it would halt the export of sand to Taiwan based on the relevant legal documents. Beyond that, the ministry did not provide any more details.
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office separately announced it would prohibit mainland Chinese companies and individuals from financial dealings with two Taiwanese foundations, the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy and the Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund.
The announcements come as Pelosi conducts a high-profile visit to Taiwan despite Beijing's warning of “serious consequences” should the veteran Democratic politician make the trip.
The trade measures follow a notice by China’s customs agency on Monday that it had blacklisted more than 100 Taiwanese food brands for failing to renew their export registration, Al Jazeera reported.
Wu Shou-Mei, director-general of Taiwan’s Food and Drug Administration, said the moves overnight may be politically motivated as Taiwanese manufacturers were being treated differently than those from elsewhere, the Taipei Times reported.
China is Taiwan’s largest trade partner, with the island’s exports to mainland China and Hong Kong reaching $188.9bn in 2021.
On Wednesday the Chinese military announced military drills off the island, live-firing in the Taiwan Strait and missile test-launches in the sea east of Taiwan.
During her visit, Pelosi met with MPs in Taipei and members of the US delegation also held a closed-door session with Taiwanese officials. Earlier, Pelosi revealed that she intended to discuss security, economics and governance with her counterparts there.