trade barrier investigation 結果共5筆

The Customs Tariff Commission of China’s State Council has announced that starting from January 1 next year, it will suspend the application of preferential tariffs for 12 categories of chemically imported goods from Taiwan, including propylene and paraxylene. China claims that Taiwan violates ECFA regulations by imposing discriminatory trade measures for products exported from China, and a trade barrier investigation by China’s Ministry of Commerce confirmed these restrictions as a trade barrier. Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) accuses China of political manipulation and bypassing WTO dispute mechanisms. The Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) states that the export value of ECFA’s early harvest list to China has been decreasing, projected to retract to pre-ECFA levels by year-end. The MOEA proposes managing cross-strait economic disputes under the WTO mechanism and encourages China to do the same.

Taipei’s Presidential Office Secretary-General, Lin Chia-lung, has accused China of strategically timing the release of its trade barrier investigation results in order to influence Taiwan’s elections. Lin suggests that China’s actions, likened to ＂drawing a bow without releasing the arrow,＂ are aimed at instilling fear in Taiwanese voters and potentially affecting their economy. Lin also points out the coincidence between the recent visit of Kuomintang (KMT) Vice Chairman Andrew Hsia to China and the prompt release of the investigation’s findings. Lin raises concerns about the Chinese Communist Party’s interference in Taiwan’s elections, citing instances of borough wardens being invited on all-expenses-paid trips by China to exert influence. Reports indicate that Wang Huning, Chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, convened a meeting in early December specifically to discuss interfering in Taiwan’s elections, suggesting a coordinated strategy from China targeting the electoral process in Taiwan.

The Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China (MOFCOM) has concluded its investigation into Taiwan’s ban on importing certain products from the mainland, deeming it a trade barrier. The investigation, conducted under the Foreign Trade Law and Foreign Trade Barrier Investigation Rules, found that the ban hinders cross-strait trade relations. The ban, which covers 2,455 Taiwanese goods including agricultural products, minerals, chemicals, and textiles, was announced by Beijing in April. Originally scheduled to release the findings on October 12, 2023, MOFCOM extended the deadline to January 12, 2024. Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) spokeswoman Zhu Fenglian criticized the ban, stating that it goes against the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA), which aims to reduce or eliminate tariffs and non-tariff barriers between the two sides. Zhu emphasized that such restrictions harm the interests of both sides and pledged support for measures based on the investigation’s results.

China’s decision to extend its trade barrier investigation into Taiwan, which coincides with the upcoming elections, is seen by Taiwan’s Executive Yuan as a politically motivated move to interfere with the elections. The Executive Yuan argues that this action violates World Trade Organization (WTO) rules. Taiwan maintains that it has not violated any WTO rules and criticizes China’s investigation process as opaque and discriminatory. The extension of the investigation date is seen as further evidence of China’s political agenda. Both the Executive Yuan and the Mainland Affairs Council call on China to stop politicizing trade issues and adhere to WTO regulations in resolving disputes.

China’s Ministry of Commerce has extended its trade barrier investigation into Taiwan’s trade restrictions towards the mainland. Originally set to conclude on Oct. 12, 2023, the investigation will now end on Jan. 12, 2024, a day before Taiwan’s 2024 general elections. The investigation, authorized under the Foreign Trade Law and the Foreign Trade Barrier Investigation Rules of China, targets 2,455 items blocked by Taiwan from mainland importation, including agricultural products, petrochemicals, and textiles. The extended analysis is expected to heighten tensions between China and Taiwan in the run-up to Taiwan’s crucial elections next year.