A spokesman for the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday denied reports that the party will conduct agricultural produce business in China.
Chang Jung-kung (
Chang said the KMT regrets the reports as they are designed to smear a duty-free measure recently announced by China on 15 varieties of Taiwanese fruit, as well as to undermine the achievements of KMT Chairman Lien Chan's (
Beijing made the offer to give preferential treatment to Taiwanese fruit during Lien's trip.
Chang said the KMT has always supported having the Taiwan Provincial Farmers' Association (TPFA) represent farmers in talks with the other side of the Taiwan Strait, believing that the TPFA understands farmers and agricultural produce marketing best.
He said delegations of KMT and the People First Party (PFP) legislators have continued to suggest during visits to China that the TPFA should serve as the group authorized to talk about fruit exports.
He said the KMT has no intention of setting up an agricultural development foundation and has no plans to establish footholds to sell agricultural produce in China.
But he also said that if agricultural groups want to set up a promotion foundation in China, or expect the KMT to help negotiate for them, the party is willing to play an intermediary role.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) ridiculed the KMT, saying that the "once rich" party is thinking of selling fruit to earn money.
DPP caucus whip William Lai (賴清德) said the DPP has said several times that the KMT's promotion of agricultural sales to China serves multiple purposes -- with Beijing driving a wedge into Taiwanese society and the KMT pocketing political and commercial interests.
Lai noted that Beijing has not exempted the 15 types of fruit from commodity taxes, so given the high transportation costs, farmers will see only limited profits.
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KMT eyes profit in fruit sale venture
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