KMT Dep. Chair Hau Lung-pin’s hyperbolic criticisms of Taiwan-Japan relations were mocked by a former DPP legislator Lin Cho-shui
Taiwan News
Date: 2018/12/16
By: Duncan Deaeth, Taiwan News, Staff Writer
(By Central News Agency)
TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – A leader of the Kuomindang (KMT) party has stirred speculation and raised tension between Japan and Taiwan, by claiming that recent referendum to ban the “nuclear food” from Japanese regions of Fukushima and neighboring provinces will likely lead to Japan’s refusal to allow Taiwan entry into the CPTPP regional trade agreement.
KMT Deputy Chair Hau Lung-pin (郝龍斌) has claimed that upholding the ban on Japanese foods from regions affected by the Fukushima incident will ultimately threaten Taiwan’s chances of being accepted into the CPTPP.
Japan has expressed disappointment after the success of a public referendum to maintain a ban on foods from the region, with some speculation that Japan may file a WTO case against Taiwan if the government continues to uphold the ban. In an effort to put pressure on Taiwan and shore up relations with Japan, China recently eased import restrictions on foods from the affected regions.
In recent statements that could be damaging to Taipei’s relations with Tokyo, Hau said the trade relationship between Japan and Taiwan has always been unfairly tilted in favor of Japan. Hau said that if Japan does block Taiwan from joining the CPTPP framework on account of the food ban, it would expose the friendship between Japan and Taiwan as a sham. [FULL STORY]
