TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan will help businesses redirect seafood exports to Southeast Asia from China after a string of fresh bans imposed by Beijing that officials in Taiwan have slammed as politically motivated.

China has announced new import restrictions on Taiwan’s fishery products including the East Asian fourfinger threadfin, skipjack tuna, Pacific saury, and squid, citing registration issues. A total of 178 items in the industry have been affected by the new measure, said the Council of Agriculture (COA) on Sunday (Dec. 11).

Most of the banned seafood is shipped to China for canning before being exported to other markets. The government will help businesses hit by the ban divert goods to Southeast Asian countries, also boasting great food processing capacity, such as Thailand and Vietnam, according to COA.

Other measures to mitigate the impact on Taiwanese exporters include overseas marketing campaigns such as promotions at trade fairs, financial support, and technical assistance for companies to promote e-commerce sales and acquire international certification, said the Ministry of Economic Affairs.

Earlier this year, China stopped importing groupers among other fish from Taiwan over the alleged detection of prohibited chemicals, dealing a blow to the fishery industry. The latest ban involves more seafood and beverages like beer and sorghum liquor, as Taiwanese authorities said that inquiries regarding the reasons for the bans are being ignored by China Customs, per Liberty Times.