Taiwan lists masks as "import control" items and more than 250 items need to be declared

　　China News Service Taipei on September 16th, the economic affairs department of the radio authority stipulated that masks should be classified as "imported controlled" items from the 16th.

As long as the number of entry masks exceeds 250, it needs to be reported to the authorities regardless of whether it is medically used or not.

According to the department, the move is to prevent businesses from mixing imported masks into real-name medical masks for sale.

　　According to reports from Central News Agency, United News Network, and China Times News, the scope of import control includes general freight, express parcels and passengers carrying by themselves.

Regardless of whether individuals or collectives want to import medical or non-medical masks, as long as the quantity exceeds 250, they must first apply for an entry permit online, and must indicate the name of the product, information about the manufacturer and importer, and the origin of the product.

　　In addition, if there are more than 250 medical masks, it is necessary to apply to the Taiwan authorities’ health and welfare department for medical equipment permits.

　　The person in charge of the economic affairs department of the Taiwan authorities said that since some businesses have recently imported masks through personal channels and mixed them into real-name medical masks for profit, these measures are to strengthen management from the source of imports to ensure the flow of masks.

　　On the day before the regulation went on the road, the Taiwan authorities' "Ministry of Economy", "Ministry of Health and Welfare" and the customs still had not reached a unified standard on the number of masks entering the country.

　　According to the regulations of the "Ministry of Health and Welfare" of the Taiwan authorities, from the 24th, all medical masks made in Taiwan must have the words "MD" (medical equipment) and other marks.

　　Professor Chen Zhijie of the National Taiwan University School of Public Health believes that the authorities' practices are superfluous. The real reason for the mixed behavior of businesses is that the government's management mechanism is faulty. The Taiwan authorities should review the market inspection capacity and management methods instead of blurring the focus.

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