TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – China will take more measures against imports from Taiwan if it does not change its support for independence, the Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) said Wednesday (April 24).
China’s Ministry of Commerce initiated extra duties on polycarbonate products from Taiwan on Saturday (April 20) for five months because it claimed Taiwan manufacturers used dumping tactics. This led to fears that China might expand its sanctions to other products on the 2010 Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) list.
Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) Spokesperson Zhu Fenglian (朱鳳蓮) said that if “the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities” did not change their attitude on Taiwan independence, it would support further measures, per CNA.
She accused the DPP of “changing the rules,” setting up obstacles in the way of Taiwan-China trade, and interfering with normal bilateral economic issues. Over the past few years, China has repeatedly issued bans on Taiwanese products, mostly fruit and farming produce.
China’s polycarbonate anti-dumping tariffs were set at 9% for two Taiwan exporters, 12.2% for two others, while the rest would have to pay the maximum 22.4% tariff. In 2022, exports to China accounted for 78.5% of Taiwan’s total polycarbonate exports, with a value of US$830 million (NT$26.98 billion).
The material is used in a wide range of products, including electronics, packaging, vehicle parts, medical products, roofing and glazing.