China announced on Wednesday that it will begin an investigation into what it calls Taiwan’s “trade barriers” that affect the import of Chinese products. The investigation will look into more than 2,400 Chinese products, an unusually large number for this type of investigation.
China’s Ministry of Commerce said the investigation stems from complaints made by three Chinese trade groups. However, officials in Taiwan have called the investigation politically motivated. Several recent moves have angered the Chinese government, such as President Tsai Ing-wen’s meeting with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Additionally, on Wednesday, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) nominated Vice President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) as its presidential candidate for next year’s election. China views Lai as a strong supporter of Taiwanese independence.
A statement released Wednesday from the Taiwan Bureau of Foreign Trade said that while China should not complicate cross-strait trade relations, it was open to negotiations without preconditions. The statement received criticism for creating a “weak” bargaining position. Economic Minister Wang Mei-hua (王美花) addressed the criticism. She said the statement simply meant that both Taiwan and China are members of the World Trade Organization, and negotiations will be conducted based on this principle.