Taiwan minister launches ‘Freedom Pineapple’ campaign on Twitter
By Ching-Tse Cheng
02/27/2021
Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) has launched a “Freedom Pineapple” campaign on Twitter to condemn Beijing’s politically-driven ban on the import of Taiwan’s pineapples.
In a Twitter post published Friday (Feb. 26) by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Wu denounced Beijing for attempting to punish Taiwanese farmers with the unexpected ban. Modeled on the “Freedom Wine” movement introduced by Australia in opposition to China’s trade sanctions in November, Wu urged people around the world to rally behind Taiwan’s pineapples.
On Friday, China’s General Administration of Customs announced the country would halt the import of Taiwan pineapples starting March 1, citing “harmful organisms” detected in the fruit. In response, the Taiwan government labeled the move as “economic intimidation” and a duplication of Beijing’s actions against Australian wine last year, pointing out that pineapple exports have passed safety checks in China with a nearly 100 percent rate.
