China imposed new trade sanctions on Taiwan on Wednesday by prohibiting the import of citrus fruits, frozen bamboo shoots and two types of fish from that territory, as well as the export of sand to the island.
The move comes a day after the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, landed in Taipei for a visit that had not been officially announced and that has deeply angered the Chinese government, which is responding with measures economic and military.
(Also read: Pelosi challenges China with her visit to Taiwan, and tensions with the US escalate)
The Chinese Customs Administration announced on its website early Wednesday an immediate ban on imports of frozen citrus and bamboo shoots, as well as frozen mackerel and chilled sablefish from Taiwan.
“Since last year, quarantine-sensitive pests have been repeatedly detected in citrus from Taiwan,” the statement said, which also said traces of Sars-CoV-2 had been found in frozen bean sprout containers.
In addition, the Ministry of Commerce announced the suspension of sand exports from mainland China to the island.
(Also: Nancy Pelosi claims she came to Taiwan in ‘peace for the region’)
On Tuesday, when Pelosi had not yet arrived in Taiwan but US and Taiwanese media took the visit for granted, China also banned the import of hundreds of food and agricultural products from the territory, saying they violated “important regulations” on business registration.
Taiwan’s Council of Agriculture confirmed that the ban affected companies producing tea, nuts, honey, coffee and cocoa beans, condiments, sweets and vegetables, as well as catches from some 700 fishing boats.
According to data from the Taiwanese Ministry of Finance, exports of processed food from the island to China and Hong Kong amounted to 646.2 million dollars in 2021 and account for 32% of total exports in that category.
(Keep reading: North Korea gives ‘full support’ to China ahead of Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan)
Last year, Beijing also canceled the import of pineapples from that territory.
China claims sovereignty over the island and has considered Taiwan a rebellious province since the Kuomintang nationalists withdrew there in 1949 after losing the civil war against the communists.
Taiwan, with which the North American country does not maintain official relations, is one of the main sources of conflict between China and the US, mainly because Washington is Taiwan’s main arms supplier and would be its greatest military ally in the event of a conflict. war conflict with the Asian giant.
EFE
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