China News Service, Beijing, September 23rd, title: When will the political manipulation of the mainland DPP authorities stop using the fruits of the question to discredit

　　China News Agency reporter Rong Haisheng

　　Due to repeated detections of quarantine pests from the Annona and lotus mist exported from Taiwan to the mainland, the General Administration of Customs issued a notice a few days ago to suspend the import of these two types of fruits from Taiwan.

The DPP authorities immediately repeated their tricks and politicized this necessary measure concerning ecological security and the interests of the people, taking the opportunity to discredit the mainland and create opposition.

　　"Every China must oppose" is the consistent routine of the DPP authorities.

In March of this year, the mainland suspended the import of Taiwanese pineapples due to pest problems. The DPP authorities staged a "Pineapple Political Show", accusing the mainland of "malicious suppression", but failed to solve the problem of agricultural product safety from the source.

After half a year, the pest problem is still there. Chen Jizhong, the head of Taiwan's agricultural department, still only "snap the pot", saying that the mainland should fumigate the pests by themselves, and even threatened to lodge a complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The leaders of the DPP authorities immediately expressed their support.

　　When similar problems occurred in Taiwan’s export of fruits to Japan, New Zealand and other places, the attitude of the DPP authorities was completely opposite.

In March and April of this year, bananas sold to Japan from Taiwan were removed from the shelves and destroyed twice due to excessive pesticides. In June, New Zealand banned the import of Taiwanese lychees and mangoes on the grounds of insect pests.

In this regard, the DPP authorities expressed "respect" and did not mention "political suppression", let alone complain to the WTO.

These double-standard practices have been criticized by public opinion.

Some Taiwanese netizens ridiculed, "There are bugs. The DPP teaches you what double standards are." "Never think about progress and always operate as a political issue."

　　The mainland is the main export market for Taiwan’s fruits. In particular, more than 90% of Taiwan’s pineapple, sugar apple, and lotus mist are exported to the mainland.

In addition to the geographical proximity and short transportation time, they mainly benefited from the mainland's concessionary behavior.

As early as 2005, the mainland granted zero tariffs on 15 Taiwanese agricultural products including pineapple, sugar apple and lotus mist.

In contrast, Taiwan still bans the import of more than 600 agricultural products from the mainland, which obviously violates WTO fair trade principles and norms.

　　Observers pointed out that compared with the cheap tropical fruits in Hainan, Guangdong and even Southeast Asia, Taiwanese fruits do not have a cost-effective advantage. In the past, mainland people were willing to buy, more based on the emotional recognition of "a family on both sides of the strait."

The DPP authorities turned a blind eye to this and never mentioned it.

　　Political manipulation may shift the focus, but it will not help solve the problem. It will only further harm Taiwanese farmers.

The DPP authorities’ failure to face up to and assist in the improvement of Taiwan’s fruit pest problems will only lead to a further decline in the image of Taiwan’s fruit; and taking the opportunity to oppose the mainland’s evil words will not guarantee that the mainland people’s resentment towards Taiwan’s fruit will not be aroused. The interests of grassroots farmers in Taiwan have been further damaged.

　　At the expense of the livelihood and well-being of the Taiwanese people in exchange for political dividends, these botched tricks of the DPP authorities should have ceased long ago, and the people of Taiwan will not buy it.

(over)