Taiwan Premier Cho Jung-tai: Will Not Let 'Beautiful Illusion' from China's 10 Measures Harm Taiwan's Economy
Taiwan's Premier Cho Jung-tai, on April 13, criticized China's recently announced '10 measures to promote cross-strait exchange and cooperation,' stating they are a repetition of past promises often revoked, which has negatively impacted Taiwan's economy. He cited China's trade sanctions against Australia from 2020-2024 as an example of economic coercion. Taiwan plans to respond by assisting domestic businesses in diversifying international markets and strengthening cooperation with like-minded countries, supporting both high-tech and small and medium-sized enterprises. He also mentioned Taiwan's 8-year, US$40 billion national defense special budget and the NT$3.035 trillion central government general budget.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 13, 2026 at 18:20
- 🔍 Collected: April 13, 2026 at 18:31 (11 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 13, 2026 at 18:40 (8 min after Collected)
On April 13, Taiwan's Premier Cho Jung-tai addressed China's '10 measures to promote cross-strait exchange and cooperation,' which were announced following KMT Chairman Cheng Li-wen's return from China on April 12. These measures include promoting the resumption of individual travel to Taiwan for residents of Shanghai and Fujian provinces, and the full normalization of direct cross-strait air passenger flights. Premier Cho described these measures as 'a basket of fruit given many times,' implying they are recycled promises that have been withdrawn in the past, causing harm to various Taiwanese industries, including agriculture and fisheries. He drew a parallel with Australia's experience, where China imposed trade sanctions on products like red wine, barley, coal, lobster, and copper ore from 2020 to 2024, after Australia called for an investigation into the origins of COVID-19. Cho emphasized that Taiwan's government will proactively respond by helping domestic manufacturers explore more international markets and secure stable supply chains. The Ministry of Economic Affairs will also facilitate investments and collaborations with like-minded countries, extending support beyond high-tech sectors to include small and medium-sized enterprises. Additionally, Premier Cho highlighted the government's 8-year, US$40 billion special national defense budget and the NT$3.035 trillion central government general budget, noting delays in their legislative processes.