China's formaldehyde cabbage sparks import fears; Taiwan's Finance Ministry responds

Taiwan's Ministry of Finance has addressed public concerns regarding the potential import of "formaldehyde cabbage" from China, which could be processed into kimchi by South Korea and subsequently enter Taiwan.

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Currently, fresh cabbage from China is not allowed to be imported into Taiwan.

The ministry clarified that fresh cabbage from China is currently prohibited from being imported into Taiwan. If South Korean companies were to use Chinese cabbage to produce kimchi, this would classify the product as a "prepared food item." In such cases, the import of these processed goods falls under the purview of Taiwan's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for safety and pesticide residue inspections.

Customs officials will only release imported food shipments after receiving the necessary clearance documents from the FDA. The ministry emphasized that its customs department primarily verifies the product name, quantity, and price against import permits. The FDA is responsible for all food safety checks.

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If South Korea imports Chinese cabbage and processes it into kimchi, it is considered a prepared food item, and its import inspection is the responsibility of the Food and Drug Administration.

Earlier, the FDA had stated that it had investigated the Chinese cabbage products identified as substandard by South Korea and their distribution. So far, no related products processed into kimchi have been found to have been imported into Taiwan. Taiwan also prohibits the import of kimchi from China, whether frozen or refrigerated.

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Customs will only release shipments after receiving the clearance documents from the Food and Drug Administration.