BOFT to ease impact of China's ban on sand, gravel exports to Taiwan

This article was published by the Taiwan Headlines on April 18, 2006. It reports that China's ban on sand and gravel exports, which will take effect from May 1, 2006, will affect most Asian nations, especially Taiwan. At present, more than 20 percent of the sand and gravel consumed in Taiwan come from China.

Taiwan has totally liberalized sand and gravel imports since 1995. Currently, imports from China account for 97 percent of Taiwan's total sand and gravel imports.

Because of Taiwan's heavy reliance on Chinese sand and gravel, the Bureau of Foreign Trade under the Ministry of Economic Affairs will ask the Chinese authorities to offer a grace period for the ban, in order to minimize the impact on Taiwan. According to the World Trade Organization's rules, member countries can put a ban on exports as long as such measures are implemented for industrial development, environmental protection and land conservation purposes, with no discriminatory behavior.