Reuters-China extends Taiwan trade probe Taipei cries election interference
October 9, 2023 2 min 372 words
这则报道揭示了中国政府在台湾问题上的一贯做法，即使用经济手段和政治干预来试图影响台湾选举结果。中国对台湾的所谓贸易壁垒调查再次引起了国际社会的关注，尤其是在台湾总统选举前将调查期限延长至选举前一天，这显然是政治动机的表现。 台湾政府对此表示抗议，指责中国试图通过经济威胁来干涉台湾选举，这种行为违反了世界贸易组织的规范。台湾强调，任何双边贸易问题都应该通过协商和世贸组织机制来解决，而不应被政治化。 这一报道也反映出台湾与中国之间的复杂关系，尤其是在国际舞台上，两国争夺国际认可和支持。台湾总统蔡英文一直提出与中国对话的愿望，但中国政府坚称她是分裂主义者，拒绝与她对话。此外，台湾副总统赖清德在台湾选举中领先，也愿意与中国对话，但同样被指责为分裂主义者。 这一事件再次凸显了台湾问题的敏感性，以及中国政府试图在国际舞台上施加影响力的决心。国际社会需要密切关注台湾选举的发展，以确保选举的公平性和透明度。
China on Monday extended an investigation into what it calls Taiwan's trade barriers against it by three months to the eve of the island's presidential election, prompting Taipei to accuse Beijing of attempting to interfere in the vote.
Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, frequently accuses Beijing of seeking to exert pressure, whether military or economic, to sway the outcome of its elections to ensure an outcome favourable to the Chinese government.
China's Commerce Ministry originally announced the probe into what it says are Taiwan's trade barriers in April, but has now extended the investigation period to Jan. 12, one day before Taiwan's presidential and parliamentary elections.
The Taiwanese government's Office of Trade Negotiations said the extension of the probe "once again proves that China's so-called trade investigation is politically motivated and an attempt to interfere with our elections with economic coercion".
Extending the date to Jan. 12, just before the election, "highlights the political motivations" behind the decision, it added.
It also violated the norms of the World Trade Organization, the office said, of which both Taiwan and China are members.
"We have said many times that any bilateral trade issues should be resolved through consultation between the two sides in accordance with WTO mechanisms. We also once again call on China to return to the right track and not to repeatedly manipulate trade issues politically."
The brief statement from China's Commerce Ministry into the extension gave no details or explanation for why they made the decision.
Taiwan has denounced what it calls Chinese economic coercion before, including China's punishment of Lithuania with trade measures after the European Union member allowed Taipei to open a de facto embassy in Vilnius.
China's government has refused to speak to the government of Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, who it accuses of being a separatist. She has repeatedly offered talks with China, but says only Taiwan's people can decide their future.
Tsai's deputy, Vice President William Lai, is the frontrunner to be Taiwan's next president, according to opinion polls. He has also offered to talk to China, thought it also calls him a separatist.