Stepping up its economic pressure against the Taiwanese government, China has abruptly suspended imports of pineapples from Taiwan, local media reported.
Taiwan has termed the suspension of pineapples import an "unfriendly" move.
From Monday, China will to stop importing pineapples from Taiwan, Taipei Times reported citing the Chinese General Administration of Customs said.
This move was a normal precaution to protect biosecurity and prevent the import of plant diseases, a spokesperson for China's Taiwan Affairs Office said separately.
Presidential Office spokesman Xavier Chang said that China's action is "unfriendly."
Taiwan's Council of Agriculture (COA) announced that it would spend NT$1 billion (US$35.33 million) to promote pineapple sales at home and abroad, while President Tsai Ing-wen and Vice President William Lai would take action to support domestic growers by consuming more pineapples themselves, Chang said.
Taiwan produces nearly 420,000 tonnes of pineapples every year. It had exported 6,200 batches to China since last year, with only 13 batches, totalling 141 tonnes, failing tests, meng the qualification rate was 99.79 per cent, he said.
China has a history of using trade to help it achieve its policy goals.
Beijing claims full sovereignty over Taiwan, a democracy of almost 24 million people located off the southeastern coast of mainland China, despite the fact that the two sides have been governed separately for more than seven decades.
Taipei, on the other hand, has countered the Chinese aggression by increasing strategic ties with democracies including the US, which has been repeatedly opposed by Beijing.
( With inputs from ANI )
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