Taiwan Threatens To Sue China Before WTO For Ban On Grouper Imports

On Saturday, June 11, 2022, Taiwan's government threatened to take Beijing to the World Trade Organization (WTO) after China suspended the import of grouper fish from the island, claiming it had detected banned chemicals, in the latest agricultural spat between the two, Ben Blanchard reported for Reuters.

Photo Insert: China accounts for some 90% of Taiwan's grouper exports.

Last year, China suspended imports of pineapples, sugar apples, and wax apples from Taiwan, citing concerns about pests, which Taiwan strongly denied. While most Taiwanese grouper is consumed at home, China accounts for some 90% of the exported product.

Relations between Taipei and Beijing, which claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, are at an all-time low, with China increasing political and military pressure on the island to accept its sovereignty.

China's customs administration said late Friday that it had repeatedly detected banned chemicals in Taiwanese grouper and would suspend imports beginning Monday "in order to prevent risks and protect the health and lives of consumers."

Taiwan's Council of Agriculture Minister Chen Chi-chung dismissed the accusation, saying there was nothing wrong with the fish and that they would provide data to China and request a response from its customs authorities.

If China does not respond, Taiwan will not rule out taking the matter to the World Trade Organization, he told reporters.

According to Cabinet spokesman Lo Ping-cheng, China has repeatedly boycotted and blocked Taiwanese agricultural and aquatic products "in a manner inconsistent with international practices," harming not only Taiwan-China relations but also "makes the Taiwanese people even more disgusted by the Chinese Communist Party authorities' wanton suppression of Taiwan."

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