China has banned imports from 35 Taiwanese food companies that export biscuits and baked goods to it since Monday, warning the self-governing island ahead of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s possible visit to Taiwan.
According to the official Taiwan Central News Agency, out of 3,200 Taiwanese companies registered with Chinese customs in the food category, 2,066 companies have been included in the “import suspension” list.
Of the 107 companies in the biscuit, confectionery and bread category, 35 are listed under “import suspension,” according to Reuters calculations based on registration data posted on the China General Administration of Customs website.
The suspension comes after China repeatedly warned Pelosi against traveling to Taiwan, which he says he belongs to, for a visit that Beijing says is against the one-China principle that Washington is committed to.
It was unclear if there were more suspensions, but Taiwan’s largest exports to China by value are electronics, parts, machinery, plastics and chemicals.
China has already suspended imports from Taiwan of a large number of varieties, including sea bass, pineapples and sugar apples since last year, citing pest concerns that Taiwan strongly denies.
Taiwan’s Agriculture Board said in a statement it would take appropriate action to help the latest companies affected by the “short-term” suspension.
China’s imports from Taiwan reached a record high of $189 billion in 2021, according to official Taiwanese data.
Source: El Nashra