Taiwan Opposes China’s Economic Pressure Amid Trade Dispute
The Mainland Affairs Council of Taiwan (MAC) has voiced its opposition to what it calls China’s “economic oppression” of Taiwan. This follows China’s Ministry of Commerce considering countermeasures due to Taiwan’s trade barriers affecting Chinese goods. The MAC expressed regret over potential measures but vowed to minimize their impact.
China’s Ministry of Commerce announced that Taiwan’s restrictions on over 2,000 Chinese products are trade barriers. Despite urging for these barriers to be lifted, Taiwan has not made significant changes. Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, supports further action against Taiwan, blaming the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for the lack of progress.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) has called for negotiations within the World Trade Organization framework. This comes after President Lai Ching-te’s National Day speech asserting Taiwan’s independence from China. The MAC criticized China’s economic tactics, warning they could harm relations and increase resentment in Taiwan.
In May, China suspended preferential tariff rates on 134 Taiwanese imports. The “1992 consensus” remains a contentious issue, with the DPP rejecting it as it implies endorsing China’s claim over Taiwan.
Doubts Revealed
Taiwan -: Taiwan is an island located in East Asia, near China. It has its own government and operates like an independent country, but China considers it a part of its territory.
China’s Economic Pressure -: This refers to actions taken by China to influence Taiwan’s economy, like imposing trade restrictions or tariffs, to make Taiwan change its policies.
Trade Dispute -: A trade dispute happens when two countries disagree on trade practices, like tariffs or import restrictions, which can affect their economic relationship.
Mainland Affairs Council -: This is a government body in Taiwan that deals with issues related to China, including trade and political relations.
Ministry of Commerce -: This is a part of China’s government that handles trade and economic policies, including how China trades with other countries.
Trade Barriers -: These are restrictions or rules that make it harder for countries to trade with each other, like high taxes on imports or strict regulations.
WTO -: WTO stands for World Trade Organization, which is an international group that helps countries trade fairly and resolve trade disputes.
President Lai Ching-te -: Lai Ching-te is a political leader in Taiwan, serving as the President, who supports Taiwan’s independence from China.
1992 consensus -: This is an agreement between China and Taiwan from 1992, where both sides agreed there is one China, but they have different interpretations of what that means. The DPP, a political party in Taiwan, does not agree with this consensus.
DPP -: DPP stands for Democratic Progressive Party, which is a major political party in Taiwan that supports Taiwan’s independence from China.
Preferential Tariffs -: These are lower taxes on imports from certain countries, making it cheaper to buy goods from those countries. China suspended these for Taiwan, making Taiwanese goods more expensive in China.