Kaohsiung Customs (KHC) stated recently there are cases of prohibited food products from Mainland China being mailed to Taiwan and subsequently seized. According to current regulations, food products from Mainland China, including mushrooms, peanuts, pasta, and rice, are subject to import regulation MW0 (Importation of Mainland China products is prohibited.). Among tea leaf products from Mainland China, only pu'er tea is permitted for import; green tea, black tea, and oolong tea are prohibited. Mailing restricted food products into Taiwan requires a special approval issued by the International Trade Administration, Ministry of Economic Affairs (TITA). The exemption of import permit for small-quantity imports does not apply in these cases.

The Customs further clarified that, under the "import regulation" column of Import and Export Commodity Classification of the Republic of China, the code MW0 indicates that the importation of Mainland China products is prohibited. The code MP1 denotes that the importation of Mainland China products in this category is conditionally permitted. Items without either code are considered permissible for import from Mainland China.

KHC urges the public not to purchase prohibited food products from abroad. Before mailing food items produced in Mainland China, individuals are advised to consult TITA or visit its official website (https://fbfh.trade.gov.tw/fh/ap/queryMLFormf.do) to check whether the products are allowed for import to avoid legal violations and potential penalties.

Division: Jianan Branch
Contact: Du, Zhong Qing
Tel:06-2222077