KMT accuses DPP of targeting Taiwan’s farmers over trade ties with mainland

Taiwan's main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), has strongly criticized the island's government for initiating investigations into five agricultural organizations. These groups are being scrutinized for their participation in a recent forum held in mainland China.

The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) referred the five organizations to the Ministry of Agriculture for investigation after they reportedly signed cooperation agreements at the Straits Forum in Fujian province. This action has drawn sharp backlash from opposition politicians and agricultural representatives, who argue that the government is penalizing legitimate efforts to secure crucial export markets for Taiwanese farmers.

In a series of social media posts over the weekend, the KMT legislative caucus asserted that the administration led by Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te is "cracking down on normal agricultural exchanges" and "smearing the hard work of farmers for political manipulation." The KMT contends that Lai's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is prioritizing ideology at a time when many agricultural producers are facing significant challenges due to fluctuating market demand and export uncertainties.

The KMT also pointed to what it described as "double standards" in the government's approach. This includes remarks by MAC officials regarding Taitung's custard apple crop, a significant portion of which is exported to the mainland. The officials reportedly suggested the fruit was "too sweet" for domestic consumers and excessively reliant on the mainland Chinese market, a stance the KMT views as hypocritical given the government's actions against agricultural groups engaging with the mainland.

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cracking down on normal agricultural exchanges and smearing the hard work of farmers for political manipulation