TAIPEI (TVBS News) — China's Ministry of Finance (中國財政部) announced on Wednesday (Sept. 18) an end to ariff exemptions on 34 Taiwanese agricultural products starting Sept. 25, attributing it to Taiwan's restrictive policies against mainland exports.
The ministry explained that Taiwan's actions have severely hindered cross-strait economic cooperation. The affected products include 15 types of fruits, 11 kinds of vegetables, and eight types of aquatic products.
China's Taiwan Affairs Office (中國國台辦) expressed strong support for the decision. Spokesperson Chen Binhua (陳斌華) criticized Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) for his pro-independence stance, accusing Taiwan of continuous provocations and unilateral restrictions on over 1,000 mainland agricultural products.
Chen also highlighted that China has adhered to the principle of treating people on both sides of the strait as one family. He noted that the tariff exemption policy, which has been in place since 2005, has benefited Taiwanese farmers and fishermen.