The Fisheries Agency on Monday said it would not send investigators to determine why certain fisheries have been permitted to export grouper to China, saying that Beijing should be consistent and allow imports from all qualified producers.
The Chinese General Administration of Customs on Friday last week announced it would resume imports of grouper from only “qualified and registered fish farms.”
Under the unilaterally imposed rules, seven fisheries were able to resume exporting grouper to China immediately.
Photo: Lo Hsin-chen, Taipei Times
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office credited cooperation from the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), adhering to the so-called “1992 consensus” and opposing Taiwanese independence with helping resolve cross-strait issues.
The “1992 consensus” refers to a tacit understanding between the KMT and the Chinese Communist Party that both sides of the Strait acknowledge there is “one China,” with each side having its own interpretation of what “China” means.
The KMT caucus at a news conference on Monday urged the agency to send investigators to the seven approved farms to see what was “special” about them.
The agency in response said it had requested clarification from Beijing through the official trade channel, and urged China to be consistent.
As the two sides have already agreed on production conditions, China should accept Taiwan’s entire list of qualified producers, not just some of them based on opaque conditions, it said.
Ever since China suspended grouper imports in June last year, there have been significant efforts to upgrade hygiene and safety at fisheries, including continuous tracking and inspections, the agency added.
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