The Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council responded to the suspension of the import of soursches and lotus mist into Taiwan: scientifically reasonable and completely justified

Source: People's Daily - Taiwan Channel Original draft

Beijing, 29 Sep (People's Daily Online) -- The Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council held a regular press conference on 29 September, at which spokeswoman Zhu Fenglian presided over the press conference and answered questions. In this regard, Zhu Fenglian said that the mainland's suspension of the import of cherimoya and lotus mist in Taiwan is to protect agricultural production and ecological security, protect the vital interests of the people, and is scientific, reasonable and completely legitimate. She refuted the Taiwan authorities' practice of using this incident to engage in political speculation and maliciously smear the mainland, stressing that the DPP authorities should earnestly assume their supervisory responsibilities, solve relevant problems at the source, and stop engaging in political manipulation.

People's Daily: A few days ago, the General Administration of Customs issued a notice saying that quarantine pests have been detected from the sourscaria and lotus mist imported from the mainland on many occasions, and announced the suspension of the importation of soursop and lotus mist from the Taiwan region.

Zhu Fenglian: Since the beginning of this year, the mainland customs has repeatedly intercepted quarantine pests -- the ocean rump-like mealybug -- from the soursches and lotus mist imported from Taiwan, and all of them have taken measures to return or destroy them in accordance with the law and promptly notified the Taiwan side. This pest endangers a wide range of fruit and food crops and poses a serious threat to agroforestry production and ecological security. According to customs, in addition to the ocean rump whitefly, pests such as cocoa gall bacteria and new pineapple gray mealybugs were also detected in the soursop and lotus mist imported from Taiwan. In order to prevent the risk of plant epidemics at the source, in accordance with the relevant laws, regulations and standards of the mainland, the General Administration of Customs has decided to suspend the import of cherimoya and lotus mist from Taiwan to the mainland from September 20, 2021. Since 2020, the mainland has repeatedly informed the relevant authorities in Taiwan of the unqualified situation of imported fruits, reminding them to strengthen source control, but such a situation has not been improved. In order to protect agricultural production and ecological security and protect the vital interests of the people, the suspension of the import of cherimoya and lotus mist from Taiwan is scientifically reasonable and completely legitimate. The General Administration of Customs has made corresponding circulars to the Taiwan side through the contact channels of the "Agreement on The Cooperation on Quarantine and Inspection of Agricultural Products Across the Straits." The DPP authorities have politicized the necessary suspension measures related to agricultural production, ecological security, and the people's vital interests, and have taken advantage of the opportunity to maliciously smear the mainland and incite cross-strait antagonism, which shows that they have no desire to solve the problem at all, have no will to think about the Taiwan peasants, and will only further damage the vital interests of the Taiwan people.

Fujian Strait Satellite TV: The DPP authorities claim that the mainland's suspension of Taiwan's cherimoya and lotus mist is "undermining international trade rules" and threaten to file a complaint with the WTO on this.

Zhu Fenglian: The mainland and Taiwan belong to the same China, and cross-strait affairs are handled internally in accordance with the one-China principle. The relevant remarks made by the DPP authorities are precisely the political operations they have consistently sought for "independence."

China Central Radio and Television Corporation: In response to outside doubts that New Zealand has also banned the import of lychees and mangoes from Taiwan, why did Taiwan not file a complaint with the WTO, Taiwan's "Committee on Agriculture" said that After new Zealand's problems arose, it continued to consult with Taiwan, but the mainland has not responded to Taiwan's demands and asked the mainland to solve the quarantine problem.

Zhu Fenglian: As I said just now, since 2020, the mainland has repeatedly informed the relevant authorities in Taiwan of the unqualified imported fruits and reminded them to strengthen source control, but such situations have not been improved. The General Administration of Customs has made corresponding circulars to the Taiwan side through the contact channels of the "Agreement on The Cooperation on Quarantine and Inspection of Agricultural Products Across the Straits." In the cherimoya part, 13 batches of cherimoya unqualified lychees were notified in writing to the Taiwan side, of which 11 batches were detected with ocean gluteal mealybugs, 1 batch was detected with ocean gluten mealybugs and cocoa gall bacteria, and 1 batch was detected with new pineapple gray mealybugs. In the lotus fog part, 6 batches of lotus mist were not qualified in writing to the Taiwan side, of which 5 batches detected ocean rump whitefly and 1 batch detected new pineapple gray mealybugs, which the Taiwan side did not give any feedback. Facts have shown that the DPP authorities should earnestly assume their supervisory responsibilities, solve relevant problems at the source, and stop engaging in political manipulation.

Voice of the Straits Radio Station: Let me ask you about the mainland's suspension of the import of soursop and lotus mist into Taiwan. Some commentators said that the DPP authorities did not conduct self-examination, and their first reaction was to "throw the pot" at the mainland, claiming that "the mainland is bullying Taiwan peasants." At the same time, it has also been noted that some public opinion on the island has questioned that the DPP authorities want both "anti-China dividends" and the mainland to "make profits." What is the spokesperson's comment?

Zhu Fenglian: Over the years, the mainland has attached great importance to the interests and well-being of Taiwan farmers, and has actively taken measures to help Taiwan farmers solve their worries and difficulties and assist them in expanding the mainland market. On March 17 this year, the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, together with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the State Forestry and Grassland Administration, and 10 other departments issued the "22 Measures for Agriculture and Forestry" to further provide equal treatment and create more development opportunities for Taiwan compatriots and Taiwan enterprises to participate in the high-quality development of agriculture and forestry and rural revitalization on the mainland. The mainland's suspension of the import of cherimoya and lotus mist in Taiwan is to protect agricultural production and ecological security, and protect the vital interests of the people, which is scientific, reasonable and completely legitimate. The DPP authorities have politicized the necessary suspension measures and maliciously smeared the mainland, without the slightest concern for the Taiwan peasants, and their attempt is to incite the sentiments of the compatriots on the island and create cross-strait antagonism.