Taiwan's Taitung County Chief Defends Participation in Cross-Strait Forum, Rejects Political Accusations

Taitung County Chief Rao Qingling, of the Chinese Unionist Party, sparked controversy by participating in the Straits Forum in Xiamen through a pre-recorded video. The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said it would initiate administrative proceedings against her under the Cross-Strait Relations Act, Article 33-1. Rao criticized the central government for politicizing agricultural trade and called for support rather than suppression of local efforts to maintain market access.

Rao defended her participation as a legitimate customer service effort, noting that mainland China represents the largest market for Taitung's pineapple guava fruit. She emphasized that Taiwanese farmers have improved product quality by addressing previous issues with scale insects and banned pesticides, and that the mainland market has provided positive feedback on these improvements. She stressed that "fruit transcends political affiliation" and that agricultural issues should not be framed through ideological lenses but addressed on their practical merits.

In response to MAC allegations that relying on the mainland market represents a "feeding-slaughtering trap" and that Beijing uses agricultural products as a political tool, Rao argued that expanding alternative markets involves complex tariff and quarantine systems requiring years to negotiate—beyond local government authority. She noted that the central government's recent trade negotiations have focused primarily on mango and pineapple, which are mainly produced in Democratic Progressive Party-governed counties. Rao contended that understanding market dynamics and competition, rather than closing one's eyes to reality, is the proper approach to protecting farmers.

Nationalist Party legislator Lai Shih-pao amplified criticism of the Democratic Progressive Party government, noting that Taiwan enjoys a trade surplus exceeding one billion US dollars annually with mainland China. He questioned the consistency of pursuing economic benefits from cross-strait trade while investigating individuals involved in routine cross-strait agricultural and business exchanges. Lai criticized the government for expanding the definition of "united front work" to encompass ordinary business and agricultural cooperation, warning that such policies ultimately harm Taiwanese farmers and workers rather than serve national interests.