Tariff cuts halted due to Taiwan authorities, mainland says

Taiwan's new leader Lai Ching-te and his administration's refusal to acknowledge the 1992 Consensus embodied with the one-China principle is the fundamental reason for the suspension of preferential tariff rates for products from Taiwan, a Chinese mainland spokesman said on Friday.

Starting on June 15, the mainland will suspend tariff concessions for 134 Taiwan products that currently benefit from preferential tariff rates outlined in the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement in response to trade restrictions imposed by the island, according to the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council.

Chen Binhua, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said that the Taiwan authorities have unilaterally imposed discriminatory trade restrictions on over 2,500 mainland products.

This action violates the provisions of the agreement regarding the progressive reduction or elimination of tariff and non-tariff barriers of goods traded between the two sides, causing harm to the interests of businesses on both sides, Chen said.

Following mainland's announcement on December 21, regarding the suspension of tariff concessions for 12 items, Lai Ching-te's administration not only failed to take any measures to lift trade restrictions on the mainland but also escalated their obstruction, he said.

In light of these circumstances, the mainland authorities took further measures to suspend tariff concessions for certain products under the ECFA, he added.

"Pursuing 'Taiwan independence' leads to neither peace nor development. Instead, it only brings harm to Taiwan, causing damage to the interests of Taiwan businesses and the public," Chen said.