The crab trade across the Taiwan Strait has slowed in what
should be its peak season due to picky quarantine standards put
forward by the Taiwan authorities, said a Chinese mainland official
here Wednesday.
"We hope the related non-governmental organizations from both
sides will carry on negotiations so that Taiwan people can enjoy
this delicacy at the right time," said Li Weiyi, spokesman of the
Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council.
Fresh crabs, especially those bred in east China's Jiangsu
Province, have become a traditional and popular mid-autumn dish and
have sold well in Taiwan.
The two sides had reached an agreement on quarantine standards
of crabs in July, but in August the Taiwan authorities submitted
new standards requiring residues of all drugs to be undetectable,
which was too picky and impractical, Li said.
The mainland had exported quality and safe food, he said, adding
that 99 percent of food exported to Japan and the European Union
met their standards.
"We do expect the two sides to show sincerity and settle this
problem for the benefit of consumers," he said. "We have noticed
that a certain group in Taiwan is trying to discredit mainland
foods. Such politically driven action will greatly harm normal
trade across the Strait."
In the first eight months of this year, the mainland has found
27 consignments of unqualified food imported from Taiwan. "We
handled them according to regulations, but did not exaggerate the
situation," Li said.
He said the mainland would continue encouraging imports of
produce from Taiwan.
A 30-member purchasing group from the mainland visited Taiwan
this month and signed an initial agreement to buy 2,000 tons of
local fruits.
"We will support more farm produce importers and trade
organizations in visiting Taiwan," Li said.
Meanwhile, he urged the Taiwan authorities to speed up the talks
on opening Taiwan to mainland tourists.
Tourism organizations from the two sides had held six rounds of
talks on technical issues.
"The two sides have developed common understanding, but a number
of problems remained unresolved," Li said.
After the fifth round of talks, the mainland put forward a set
of practical solutions, but the Taiwan authorities had made no
response for months, he said.
(Xinhua News Agency September 27, 2007)