BEIJING: China is studying further trade measures against Taiwan, the Ministry of Commerce said on Saturday, two days after Beijing slammed a speech by Taiwan President Lai Ching-Te.
The Democratic Progressive Party, Taiwan鈥檚 ruling party, has not taken any practical measures to lift 鈥渢rade restrictions鈥� on mainland China, the commerce ministry said in a statement on its official website.
鈥淎t present, relevant departments are studying further measures based on the conclusions of the investigation into trade barriers from Taiwan (against mainland China),鈥� it added.
China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, detests Lai as a 鈥渟eparatist.鈥� Lai and his government reject Beijing鈥檚 sovereignty claims, saying only Taiwan鈥檚 people can decide their future.
On Thursday at his keynote national day speech, Lai said the People鈥檚 Republic of China had no right to represent Taiwan, but that the island was willing to work with Beijing to combat challenges like climate change, striking both a firm and conciliatory tone, drawing anger from China.
The Saturday announcement from China鈥檚 commerce ministry could portend tariffs or other forms of economic pressure against the island in the near future.
China鈥檚 Taiwan Affairs Office, which on Thursday said that Lai鈥檚 speech promoted 鈥渟eparatist ideas鈥� and incited confrontation, responded to the announcement by saying the fundamental reason behind the trade dispute was the 鈥淒PP authorities鈥� stubborn adherence to the stance of 鈥楾aiwan independence鈥�.鈥�
鈥淭he political basis makes it difficult for cross-Strait trade disputes to be resolved through negotiation,鈥� it added.
In May, China reinstated tariffs on 134 items it imports from Taiwan, after Beijing鈥檚 finance ministry said it would suspend concessions on the items under a trade deal because Taiwan had not reciprocated.
The Cross-Strait Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) between China and Taiwan was initially signed in 2010 and Taiwanese officials had previously said that China was likely to pressure Lai by ending some of the preferential trading terms within it.