China flexes economic muscle with ban on Taiwanese grouper

The fish is 4th agricultural product to be sanctioned by Beijing since last year

Taiwan's grouper production last year amounted to 16,940 tons, and the export volume was 6,681 tons, according to Taiwan's Fisheries Department. China accounted for 91% of the exports. © Getty Images

THOMPSON CHAU, Contributing writer

June 15, 2022 12:09 JST

TAIWAN -- Beijing has banned the import of grouper from Taiwan, making the popular fish the fourth agriculture product to be blocked from entering the Chinese market since last year.

China's General Administration of Customs on Friday announced the suspension from Monday, citing the discovery of malachite green -- a banned chemical used in aquaculture -- being detected in samples.