[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] Amid escalating tensions between the US and China over the Taiwan Strait following the visit of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, China has abruptly banned the import of certain Taiwanese food products. At the same time, it has prohibited the export of natural sand used in construction materials and steel manufacturing to Taiwan.
On the 3rd, China's customs authority, the General Administration of Customs, announced that it would temporarily suspend imports of Taiwanese citrus fruits, refrigerated hairtail fish, and frozen horse mackerel starting that day. The agency explained that harmful substances were detected in the citrus fruits, and the packaging of the hairtail and horse mackerel tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.
On the same day, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of Commerce declared the temporary suspension of natural sand exports to Taiwan based on relevant legal regulations. Natural sand, formed through natural processes such as weathering, is used in construction materials and steel manufacturing processes.
The previous night, after confirming Speaker Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, the General Administration of Customs also suspended imports of more than 2,000 out of 3,200 Taiwanese food products. China announced a ban on imports of food products from over 100 Taiwanese companies, including beverage producer Weichuan and snack manufacturer Guoyuan.
Major foreign media outlets view China's import and export bans as a strong protest against Speaker Pelosi's visit to Taiwan and as part of economic pressure on Taiwan.
In the past, China has attempted to damage Taiwan's economy and undermine the support base of Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party by banning imports of Taiwanese products. A representative and symbolic item is the pineapple, for which China has banned imports since early last year. In Taiwan, marketing campaigns promoting "Free Pineapple" and "Democracy Pineapple" have been launched to open new markets and encourage consumption.
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