China deals with Taiwanese mangoes in the latest suspension of imports
Chinese customs authorities halted imports of mangoes from Taiwan from Monday after pests were discovered in the fruit. This is the latest measure against Taiwanese agriculture that Taipei has described as politically motivated.
Taiwan, which China considers its territory, has complained over the past three years of Chinese import bans on various agricultural and aquatic products, including pineapples and grouper fish, claiming it is part of a Chinese pressure campaign.
The China Taiwan Business Bureau said the pest, which has been named Passionate mealybug, was found by customs on imported Taiwanese mangoes from this year and needs to protect its cultivation.
“The above measures are normal biosafety precautions, scientific and reasonable, and comply with relevant laws, regulations and standards of the mainland,” the ministry said.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Agriculture said it had not received any such complaints from other export destinations.
The ministry “deeply regrets that China has repeatedly violated international practices and arbitrarily cut off trade without scientific dialogue,” the ministry said in a statement.
The announcement came a few days after Taiwanese Vice President William Lai returned home from a short visit to the United States, angering Beijing.
Agriculture is not a significant part of Taiwan’s semiconductor-oriented economy, but the farming and fishing community is largely based in parts of the island that have traditionally supported the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, especially in southern Taiwan.
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