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
in Beijing 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)