Taiwan pineapple in a supermarket in Yiwu, East China's Zhejiang Province Photo: VCG
The Chinese mainland will suspend tariff concessions on 134 import items from the island of Taiwan starting in mid-June, and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities bear full responsibility for the move, as it has long imposed unilateral trade restrictions on mainland exports, mainland authorities said on Friday.
The move comes as the DPP authorities also continue to push for "Taiwan independence," which has seriously undermined cross-Straits relations and the basis for cross-Straits economic and trade cooperation. While the mainland takes firm steps against the DPP's secessionist acts, it will also continue to support Taiwan businesses and compatriots through concrete measures, mainland officials and experts said.
In a notice on Friday, the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council announced that starting on June 15, preferential tariff rates for 134 items imported from Taiwan stipulated in the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA), including a slew of chemical products and machines, will be terminated. The move is in line with regulations and procedures under the ECFA, the notice said.
"The Taiwan region has unilaterally imposed discriminatory bans, restrictions and other measures on mainland exports, in violation of the provisions of the ECFA," the commission said, adding that after the mainland terminated certain preferential tariff rates under the ECFA in December, "the Taiwan region has still not taken any effective measures to lift trade restrictions on the mainland."
On December 21, the commission announced the suspension of tariff concessions for 12 kinds of products, including propylene, imported from Taiwan starting from January 1, 2024, in response to the DPP authorities' discriminatory trade actions against mainland products.
In a statement on Friday, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said that Taiwan authorities have long unilaterally imposed discriminatory restrictions against the mainland, violating provisions of the ECFA that stipulated the gradual reduction or elimination of tariffs and other trade barriers on the majority of merchandise trade, which harms not only the interests of enterprises, but also the well-being of compatriots on both sides of the Straits.
After the mainland announced the suspension of 12 tariff items in December, the DPP authorities not only did not take steps to remove trade restrictions, but instead wantonly promoted the "Taiwan independence" secessionism fallacy, incited cross-Straits confrontation, and undermined the basis for the implementation of the ECFA, the MOFCOM spokesperson pointed out.
"As a result, relevant mainland departments had to further suspend tariff concessions for some products under the ECFA," the spokesperson said, "the relevant responsibility lies entirely with the DPP authorities."
While the Taiwan region has benefited enormously from the ECFA, which was signed in June 2010 based on the 1992 Consensus, which embodies the one-China principle, the DPP authorities banned the import of more than 2,500 Chinese mainland products as of November 2023, according to MOFCOM.
Countering secessionism
In addition to the discriminatory trade bans and restrictions, the DPP's secessionist words and deeds also warrant firm countermeasures from the mainland, experts said.
"The ECFA is based on the 1992 Consensus. Since the DPP authorities refuse to recognize the 1992 Consensus, the basis for the implementation of the ECFA in fact no longer exists," Zhang Wensheng, deputy dean of the Taiwan Research Institute at Xiamen University, told the Global Times on Friday, noting that the mainland's move is only natural, given the DPP authorities' recent secessionist rhetoric.
During his so-called inaugural speech on May 20, Taiwan's regional leader Lai Ching-te blatantly referred to the island as a "nation," talked about the island's political system and "freedom," and hyped so-called political and military "intimidation" from the mainland. Meanwhile, the US has also sought political manipulation from the Taiwan question, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken congratulating Lai.
Lai's separatist rhetoric and the US' interference have been harshly criticized by Chinese officials. "The pursuit of 'Taiwan independence' is a dead end. External interference in China's internal affairs and encouragement and support for 'Taiwan independence' will lead nowhere," Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said on May 20.
In a statement on Friday, Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, also said the DPP authorities should bear the responsibility for the preferential tariff suspension and warned against any secessionist moves.
"Facts have once again proved that pursuing 'Taiwan independence' will lead to no peace and no development. It will only bring disaster and harm to Taiwan, and will only harm the interests of Taiwan's enterprises and residents," Chen said.
Chinese officials and authorities have also made it clear that the moves are targeted at the DPP authorities' words and deeds, and not aimed at undermining the interests of Taiwan businesses and the well-being of Taiwan compatriots.
"We have always respected, cared for, and benefited our Taiwan compatriots. We have always taken a positive attitude toward promoting cross-Straits economic exchanges and cooperation. We will, as always, welcome and support Taiwan compatriots and companies to invest and develop in the mainland," Chen said.
Experts said that as the Chinese mainland continues to take countermeasures against the DPP authorities' separatist acts, it will also continue to make efforts to support cross-Straits cooperation.
"While taking countermeasures, the Chinese mainland will also promote cross-Straits economic and trade cooperation, so as to prevent the DPP authorities from seeking to decouple or disrupt ties," Wang Jianmin, a senior cross-Straits expert at Minnan Normal University in Fujian, told the Global Times on Friday.
The Chinese mainland has taken major policy steps to boost cross-Straits cooperation. In January, mainland authorities released sweeping guidelines to support East China's Fujian Province in exploring new paths for cross-Straits integrated development, outlining a flurry of specific measures to boost economic and trade cooperation between Fujian and Taiwan region.
The new measures have been widely hailed by Taiwan entrepreneurs as concrete steps to help businesses from the island further explore and expand in the mainland market.
大陆当局周五表示，中国大陆将从6月中旬开始暂停对来自台湾岛的134种进口商品的关税减让，民进党当局对此举负全部责任，因为它长期以来一直对大陆出口实施单边贸易限制。
此举正值民进党当局继续推动“台独”，严重破坏了两岸关系和两岸经贸合作的基础。大陆官员和专家表示，在大陆采取坚决措施打击民进党分裂行为的同时，也将继续通过具体措施支持台湾企业和同胞。
国务院关税税则委员会在周五的一份通知中宣布，从6月15日起，将终止对《经济合作框架协议》（ECFA）规定的134种从台湾进口的物品的优惠关税税率，其中包括一系列化学产品和机器。该通知称，此举符合ECFA的规定和程序。
“台湾地区单方面对大陆出口实施歧视性禁令、限制和其他措施，违反了ECFA的规定，”该委员会表示，并补充说，在大陆于12月终止ECFA下的某些优惠关税税率后，“台湾地区仍未采取任何有效措施解除对大陆的贸易限制。
12月21日，证监会宣布，自2024年1月1日起，暂停对从台湾进口的12种产品（包括丙烯）的关税减让，以回应民进党当局对大陆产品的歧视性贸易行动。
商务部发言人在周五的一份声明中表示，台湾当局长期以来单方面对大陆实施歧视性限制，违反了《商品贸易法》中关于逐步降低或取消对大多数商品贸易的关税和其他贸易壁垒的规定，这不仅损害了企业的利益。 更是两岸同胞的福祉。
商务部发言人指出，大陆去年12月宣布暂停12项关税项目后，民进党当局不仅没有采取措施取消贸易限制，反而肆意宣扬“台独”分裂主义谬论，煽动两岸对抗，破坏ECFA实施的基础。
“因此，内地有关部门不得不进一步暂停对ECFA下的某些产品的关税优惠，”发言人说，“相关责任完全由民进党当局承担。
据商务部称，虽然台湾地区从2010年6月根据体现一个中国原则的1992年共识签署的ECFA中受益匪浅，但民进党当局截至2023年11月禁止进口2,500多种中国大陆产品。
打击分裂主义
除了歧视性的贸易禁令和限制外，民进党的分裂专家表示，本国的言行也需要大陆采取坚决的反制措施。
“ECFA以1992年共识为基础。由于民进党当局拒绝承认1992年“九二共识”，实施ECFA的基础实际上已不复存在，“厦门大学台湾研究所副院长张文生周五告诉《环球时报》，并指出，鉴于民进党当局最近的分裂主义言论，大陆的举动是自然而然的。
台湾地区领导人赖清德在5月20日的所谓就职演说中，公然将台湾称为“国家”，大谈台湾的政治制度和“自由”，并大肆宣传来自大陆的所谓政治和军事“恐吓”。与此同时，美国也在台湾问题上寻求政治操纵，美国国务卿安东尼·布林肯（Antony Blinken）向赖清德表示祝贺。
黎智英的分裂言论和美国的干涉受到中国官员的严厉批评。“追求'台独'是一条死路。外部干涉中国内政，鼓励和支持'台独'，是无济于事的，“外交部发言人汪文斌5月20日表示。
在周五的一份声明中，国务院台湾事务办公室发言人陈斌华也表示，民进党当局应对暂停优惠关税承担责任，并警告不要采取任何分裂主义行动。
“事实再次证明，'台独'不会带来和平和发展。它只会给台湾带来灾难和伤害，只会损害台湾企业和居民的利益，“陈说。
中国官员和当局也明确表示，此举是针对民进党当局的言行，并非旨在损害台湾企业的利益和台湾同胞的福祉。
“我们一直尊重、关心、造福台湾同胞。我们一贯对促进两岸经济交流与合作持积极态度。我们将一如既往地欢迎和支持台湾同胞和企业到大陆投资发展，“陈说。
专家表示，随着中国大陆继续对民进党当局的分裂行为采取反制措施，也将继续努力支持两岸合作。
“在采取反制措施的同时，中国大陆还将促进两岸经贸合作，以防止民进党当局寻求脱钩或破坏关系，”福建闽南师范大学两岸问题高级专家王建民周五告诉环球时报。
中国大陆采取重大政策措施促进两岸合作。今年1月，大陆当局发布了支持华东福建省探索两岸融合发展新路径的全面指导方针，概述了一系列促进福建与台湾地区经贸合作的具体措施。
