[Politics] Pineapple-sugar apple sparks discussion Farmers: Meaningless, just increases Rao Ching-ling's fame
bellala 央廣4h ago
Taitung County Magistrate Rao Qingling participated in the Straits Forum via a pre-recorded video to seek the lychee market, which is under investigation. The lychee issue has sparked local discussions. However, some farmers say these discussions are meaningless, and the main problem is China's 29% tax on Taiwanese agricultural products.
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) stated that it has asked the Ministry of the Interior, the competent authority, to investigate and handle the matter of Rao Qingling's participation in the Straits Forum via a pre-recorded video. The Ministry of the Interior stated on the 17th that it will conduct an administrative investigation into whether the pre-recorded video involves "cooperative behavior" as stipulated in Article 33-1 of the "Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area," in accordance with the MAC's letter and the relevant provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act.
Wang Zhiwei, chairman of the Taitung Lychee Cooperative, told CNA reporters that the current "commotion" has little impact on pineapple lychees, because "it's already so bad that it can't make things worse, nor can it make things better. It has no effect on lychees."
He said that the biggest problem with selling lychees to China is the 29% tax imposed by China (20% tariff plus 9% value-added tax). "The cancellation of tariffs is the most significant issue." He added that it is meaningless whether Rao Qingling personally appears in China or participates via video, as it "only increases Rao Qingling's personal popularity."
Rao Qingling previously stated that her participation in the Straits Forum via a pre-recorded video was to facilitate the import of Taitung lychees into China. Regarding the fermentation of this issue between the central and local governments, Rao Qingling declined to comment further when interviewed by CNA today (19th), only stating, "We are willing to work hard for anything that benefits farmers."
DPP Legislator Chen Ying stated that her position on the discussions related to the Straits Forum is that "farmers should not be victims of political struggles." She affirmed Rao Qingling's long-term efforts for Taitung's agricultural development, emphasizing that for farmers, the most important thing is simple: "that the agricultural products they work hard to grow can be sold, sold at a good price, and provide a stable income for their families."
She also respects the central government's stance of administering according to the law. "The Straits Forum" has long involved cross-strait political issues, and the central government has its legal and policy considerations. These discussions should not be simplified into a confrontation between local and central governments, nor should farmers be forced to the front lines of political conflict.
Former Taitung Mayor Lai Kun-cheng said that after the Straits Forum, the Taiwan Affairs Office announced that it would strengthen the marketing of Taiwanese agricultural and specialty products such as pineapple lychees, groupers, pomelos, and tea to China. In fact, regardless of whether Rao Qingling participated or not, "China's script was already finalized." Just like other items listed for opening, local leaders, regardless of party affiliation, did not take special action during the Straits Forum, "yet they were still opened. Rao Qingling was just cooperating with the performance to create the image China desired."
Legislative Yuan Vice President Johnny Chiang, when interviewed today at the "2026 Dajia Tiehshan Mountain Sword Well Drawing Noon Water" event, stated, "The people are the most important, the state is secondary, and the ruler is the least important." All politicians and governments should prioritize the livelihoods of the people.
KMT Legislator Huang Chien-bin stated that MAC Deputy Minister Liang Wen-chieh's remark that "pineapple lychees are agricultural products that Taiwanese people almost never eat and are completely dependent on the CCP" not only harms Taitung farmers but also evokes sighs of regret.
Huang Chien-bin said that pineapple lychees are not crops that appeared out of thin air, but rather important economic crops that have undergone agricultural improvement, taken root in Taitung, and were established step by step with the guidance of the Ministry of Agriculture and the hard work and costs invested by farmers. "Now, with a single sentence from an official, decades of effort are negated, leaving farmers in despair."
KMT Taitung County Council Speaker Wu Hsiu-hua stated that 95% of pineapple lychees are exported, not because "Taiwanese people don't eat them," but due to product characteristics and market conditions. Pineapple lychees are more suitable for cold chain transportation and export market demand, while the "big eye" lychees have a short shelf life and cannot withstand long-distance transportation, making export inherently more difficult. This is an industrial reality that cannot be simply dismissed with a single sentence. (Editor: Chen Wen-wei)
Source Link: https://www.rti.org.tw/news?uid=3&pid=215489
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