Source: Sun Moon Tan Tian
The Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council recently issued an announcement deciding to suspend the implementation of the import tariff exemption policy for 34 agricultural products from Taiwan from September 25, 2024.
Tan Zhu noted that a number of media on the island followed up on the report as soon as possible, and relevant industry players lamented that "it was all the DPP's harm" and "it will be finished"; some analysts on the island pointed out that "this will have a great impact on Taiwan's economy." There are also many scholars, celebrities, and representatives of public opinion who demand that the DPP authorities review their cross-strait policy and stop consuming the mainland's goodwill.
However, the reaction of the DPP authorities and the feelings of Taiwan society are obviously not in the stratosphere, and they only use such words as "little impact" to float lightly. For such an understatement, some analysts on the island pointed out that they were talking nonsense and "covering the lid" with their eyes open.
Screenshot of media reports on the island
So, what is the DPP's so-called "little influence" trying to hide? Today, Lord Tan will talk to you about this topic.
The DPP used "little influence" to cover up its policy mistakes
Regarding the cancellation of 34 zero-tariff items on agricultural products, Taiwan's agricultural department said that "the overall impact is limited, and the risk is within a controllable range", and the green camp public opinion representative declared that "Taiwan's agricultural products do not rely on the mainland, and the impact is not great". The calm reaction made public opinion on the island very dissatisfied, and they directly denounced "why not eat minced meat" and "tell lies...... In fact, "limited impact" and "little impact" cannot appease the worries of the grassroots at all.
Taiwan farmers and fishermen who make a living by planting and fishing related products will be directly affected, and some Taiwanese farmers said that they were "miserable by the DPP." Taiwan's United News Network reported that tariffs ranging from 5% to 20% will be restored for Taiwan's products that have stopped implementing tariff exemptions. Zhao Shaokang, a senior media person in Taiwan, pointed out that the economic output value of agriculture is low, and the increased tariffs are a lot of money that affects the livelihood of farmers and fishermen. Chen Baoji, former head of Taiwan's agricultural department, believes that farmers have spent a year growing agricultural products, and now because of the DPP, the mainland's tariff preferences are gone.
Screenshot of media reports on the island
Various analysts believe that after the DPP destroys the tax-free treatment, Taiwan's agriculture and fishery and even the overall economy will also be affected. In recent years, thanks to the mainland's tariff exemption policy, Taiwan's agricultural products have been exported to the mainland with a competitive advantage, and the mainland has become Taiwan's largest export destination for agricultural and fishery products. Many agricultural and fishery people on the island are worried that if Taiwan's agricultural products lose tariff preferences in the mainland market, it will lead to higher costs, lower competitiveness, and a sharp decline in exports to the mainland, and many enterprises and self-employed people in the industrial chain will face a crisis. Economic experts on the island bluntly said that the damage to Taiwan's agriculture and fishery is only an observation indicator, and against the background of the tension in cross-strait relations caused by the DPP's continuous provocations for "independence," other industries in Taiwan will also face the same risks, and the impact on the overall economy is self-evident.
In the face of the unremitting complaints from the grassroots, why did the DPP authorities open their eyes and talk nonsense and try their best to "whitewash the peace"? A number of analysts told Tan Zhu that it can be seen that the DPP is a thief. They know that the main culprit in the current situation is their cross-strait policy of "opposing China and seeking independence," and in order to cover up their mistakes, they have no choice but to deceive the people on the island with the idea that "they will not have a big impact" in a vain attempt to get away with the situation.
Professor Tang Yonghong of the Institute of Taiwan Studies of Xiamen University said that the DPP authorities do not want the people on the island to know that it is their continued provocation of "independence" and undermining the political foundation of cross-strait economic and trade cooperation and the principle of fair and equal trade that the original preferential treatment has disappeared. Scholars on the island told Lord Tan: "Only brothers will give up profits, compatriots will give up profits, and 'Taiwan independence' should be the enemy of the mainland, and of course you cannot expect the hostile mainland to unconditionally give up its profits, and the DPP is evading its responsibility by deliberately downplaying its losses." Taiwan's current affairs commentator Lai Yueqian said that in the face of the mainland's goodwill, the DPP did not treat the mainland equally, but engaged in discriminatory trade behavior against the mainland, so it is no wonder that the mainland stopped tariff concessions, "the DPP is hurting and deceiving Taiwan farmers."
The island calls for "no more consumption of the mainland's goodwill"
Tan Zhu noted that in the past few days, public opinion on the island has been calling on the DPP authorities not to just divert their attention and "cover the lid," and to demand that they adjust the line of "opposing China and resisting China," reflect on trade discrimination against the mainland, and "stop consuming the mainland's goodwill."
Public opinion on the island believes that although the mainland has been forced to cancel some of the concessions this time, compared with the DPP authorities' excessively behavior of not allowing mainland products to enter the island for a long time, the mainland has "good intentions enough." Current affairs commentator Chen Huiwen said indignantly in a political discussion program that Taiwan unilaterally restricted the import of more than 1,000 agricultural products from the mainland, "prohibiting the purchase of apples from mainland compatriots, but buying apples from other countries, and brazenly asking the mainland for tariff exemption?" We don't even want things from the mainland to sell in, because people can't pay customs duties if they want to." Some scholars pointed out that not only mainland agricultural products, but also processed agricultural products are prohibited from being sold to Taiwan, and if you sell mainland snail noodles that are very popular among the people on the island in Taiwan, you will even face a penalty of up to NT$3 million. Zheng Liwen, a former representative of the people's opinion, believes that the mainland has always released goodwill and said that any difficulties, misunderstandings, and knots in the family can be untied, "But if you insist on pursuing 'Taiwan independence' in the Democratic Progressive Party and do not allow the mainland's things to sell Taiwan, what qualifications do you have to make irresponsible remarks?" ”
Screenshot of media reports on the island
Scholars on the island told Lord Tan that even when the mainland suspends zero tariffs on 34 items of Taiwan's agricultural products, cross-strait economic and trade exchanges still give Taiwan a large tilt in favor of the mainland's preferential treatment. According to statistics, there are still more than 300 other Taiwan products enjoying the mainland's preferential tariffs, which means that there are still tens of millions of Taiwan's small and medium-sized enterprises and grassroots people who continue to reap tangible benefits from the mainland's goodwill.
However, many people are worried that if the DPP authorities continue to "resist China and seek independence", then the mainland's concessions may be "cleared". Tang Yonghong pointed out in his analysis that in December last year and June this year, the mainland side twice suspended tariff concessions for some products under the ECFA, and issued a warning to the DPP authorities, but the DPP not only did not take practical measures to lift discriminatory trade restrictions on the mainland, but also intensified its provocations to seek "independence," which led to the expansion of the scope of "stopping concessions." Zhao Shaokang believes that if the DPP authorities continue to ignore the mainland's warnings, the mainland is likely to raise sanctions against Taiwan or cancel more preferential treatment in the future, and "businessmen and farmers will be unlucky."
Obviously, more and more people on the island have come to realize that, just as Chen Binhua, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said, there will be no peace and no development if "Taiwan independence" is pursued, and it will only "bring harm to Taiwan" and "harm Taiwan". Supporting "Taiwan independence" will only harm vital interests. What Lord Tan wants to say is that peaceful development of cross-strait relations and fair and equal cross-strait economic and trade cooperation are the blessings of Taiwan's development and the interests of the people. If the DPP continues to disregard the well-being of the people and vigorously engage in "opposing China and seeking independence," it will certainly be abandoned by the disappointed people on the island. [Source: Sun Moon Tan Tian]