Taiwan has condemned China's upcoming ban on various imports, including Taiwan's fruit, vegetables, and seafood, calling it a violation of trade standards. The measure, set to begin next week, flouts World Trade Organization (WTO) regulations, according to Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council. Taiwan claims this latest move escalates the already fraught tensions between the self-governing island and China, which aims to annex Taiwan.
The Mainland Affairs Council highlighted that this action "harms the interests of farmers" on both sides of the Taiwan Strait and fails to foster better relations. Instead of escalating tensions, the council suggests utilizing the WTO as a platform for dialogue to resolve conflicts. Taiwan's agricultural sector, valued at around $500 billion, supports a robust economy alongside its leading role in high-tech computer chip production, making this ban economically significant.
China's prohibition appears specifically aimed at rural Taiwanese, who typically support pro-independence candidates but whose local officials have been targets of Chinese allurements like all-expense-paid trips. The restrictions further complicate the relationship between China and Taiwan, which have been divided since the civil war in 1949, with the WTO remaining among the few platforms available for their diplomatic engagement. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
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