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🇹🇼 Taiwan /Elections & Politics

Chien Yu-yen criticizes persecution of Rao Qing-ling; DPP counters: Don't push farmers into China's scam

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Under investigation
  • Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council is investigating Taitung County Magistrate Rao Qing-ling for participating in the Straits Forum via video.
  • Kuomintang Chairwoman Chien Yu-yen criticized the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for persecuting Rao, calling it "white terror."
  • The DPP defended the investigation, citing China's "coercive trade" tactics against Taiwanese farmers and arguing that the party is helping industries diversify markets away from China.

Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) is investigating Taitung County Magistrate Rao Qing-ling for her participation in the Straits Forum via video recording, a move that has sparked a political dispute between the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the opposition Kuomintang (KMT).

White terror's ghost is persecuting, what is the DPP afraid of?

— Chien Yu-yenCriticizing the DPP's investigation into Taitung County Magistrate Rao Qing-ling's participation in the Straits Forum.

KMT Chairwoman Chien Yu-yen accused the DPP of "white terror" and persecuting Rao, asserting that Rao was merely speaking for her constituents and the local pineapple and custard apple industries. Chien questioned whether Taiwan is still a democracy if such actions are taken, suggesting the DPP resorts to intimidation and judicial persecution instead of addressing Taiwan's agricultural and traditional industries crisis.

DPP spokesperson Lin Chu-yin responded by reiterating that the Straits Forum has been identified as a Chinese Communist Party united front platform since the Ma Ying-jeou administration. She criticized the KMT for shifting from opposing participation to "sneaking in" and accused them of colluding with Beijing to promote "benefits" that are not substantiated by data.

Taiwanese agricultural and fishery products being 'farmed and killed' by China are countless.

— Lin Chu-yinResponding to criticism and explaining the need for market diversification away from China.

Lin cited statistics showing a low approval rate for Taiwanese agricultural product registrations in China, with only 43 out of 1,687 applications approved since 2022. She also noted that Chinese authorities have become unresponsive to inquiries about Taiwanese product applications since May 2026, highlighting the uncertainty and risks involved in relying on the Chinese market.

The Straits Forum has been defined as a united front platform deliberately designed by the CCP since the Ma Ying-jeou administration.

— Lin Chu-yinExplaining the DPP's stance on the Straits Forum.

Conversely, Lin emphasized the government's success in diversifying Taiwan's export markets. She stated that the U.S. and Japan have become Taiwan's largest export destinations for agricultural and fishery products, with over 90% of Taiwanese pineapples sold to Japan last year at higher prices. Furthermore, Taiwanese mangoes, lychees, and dragon fruit have successfully entered the European market, supplying French Michelin-starred restaurants. Lin urged the KMT to explain why they are cooperating with Beijing's united front efforts and to stop pushing farmers into potentially deceptive schemes, advocating instead for global market diversification as a responsible economic strategy.

Why must they cooperate with the CCP's united front?

— Lin Chu-yinQuestioning the KMT's engagement with China.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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