Minister of Economic Affairs Shen Jong-chin (沈榮津) yesterday confirmed that there had been eight known instances of socks imported from China being falsely relabeled and sold as made-in-Taiwan products.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chen Su-yueh (陳素月) raised the issue at a question-and-answer session at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei, citing concern among many manufacturers in Chiayi County’s Shetou Township (社頭), where sock manufacturing is a major industry.
Ministry of Finance data showed that sock imports from China increased 27.76 percent year-on-year last year, but most of the socks circulating in the market are labeled as made in Taiwan, Chen said.
False labeling, coupled with shrinking exports and increasing imports over the past few years, has jeopardized the livelihoods of sock makers, she said.
The data showed that sock exports declined for three straight years, falling 30.2 percent from 2016 to last year, while imports rose 27.2 percent during the same period, she said.
Shen said the government has a special project with the Chinese National Federation of Industries to monitor the amount and price of goods imported from China, including socks, to prevent Chinese firms dumping in Taiwan.
If the federation discovers any cases of dumping by Chinese businesses, it would ask the Ministry of Finance to initiate anti-dumping measures, he said.
Shen also encouraged local sock manufacturers to report any cases of Chinese-made socks being falsely relabeled and sold as Taiwan-made products.
They can file a complaint with the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection, he said.
Chen said that it might not be convenient for local manufacturers to file complaints, apparently referring to the potentially negative affect such a move could have on retailers.
Shen said the bureau had received eight reports of Chinese-made socks suspected of having been falsely labeled as made in Taiwan.
Two such instances were uncovered by customs agents, while the other six are being investigated by local governments, he said.
Shen said that he would visit Shetou sock manufacturers and brief them on the measures that the government has taken against Chinese dumping and false labeling of socks.
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