Taiwan expands list of goods banned from export to Russia and Belarus

Focus Taiwan reported the information.

In 2023, Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs imposed controls on the export of a number of high-quality machine tools to Russia and Belarus, and is now expanding the scope of export restrictions to 77 additional products.

Taiwan's decision to expand export restrictions aligns with its commitment to adhere to export sanctions imposed by the EU, the US, and Japan.

The goods added to the new export control list include sophisticated equipment such as computer numerical control machines, machining centers, lathes and turning machines, milling and grinding machines.

According to a representative of the Office of International Trade, Taiwan's exports of these 77 items to Russia reached $45 million last year, accounting for 1.47% of Taiwan's total exports to Russia.

If it is found that machine tools from Taiwan are exported to Russia for the production of military weapons, this could affect the willingness of German and Japanese manufacturers to sell their products to Taiwan.

According to the ministry, it has also asked Taiwanese manufacturers exporting to Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, which are considered to be at high risk of re-exporting products, to agree not to redirect shipments to Russia and Belarus.

• On February 2, Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs tightened control over the export of machine tools and blacklisted I Machine Technology to prevent their use by Russia in the war against Ukraine.