Taiwan to import Polish blueberries: Foreign minister

Taipei, July 1 (CNA) Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) announced on Tuesday that Taiwan is preparing to open its market to fresh blueberries from Poland, as he hosted a visiting group of Polish lawmakers.

The government has given the green light to the import policy, which is now pending the completion of final administrative procedures, Lin said at a lunch banquet with the delegation from the Polish-Taiwanese Parliamentary Group.

Taiwan's Ministry of Agriculture has promulgated quarantine regulations for fresh Polish blueberries, initiating a 60-day public comment period, with local media reporting that the market opening could take effect in September.

At the banquet, Lin thanked Łukasz Horbatowski, Marek Chmielewski, and Iwona Krawczyk for their support of Taiwan that have deepened ties between the two countries on various fronts, according to a press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).

Meanwhile, Lin expressed hope for deeper Taiwan-Poland cooperation in AI, drones, and advanced chips -- building on existing ties in economics, higher education, the judiciary, and technology -- to help create a resilient, democracy-based, non-China supply chain, MOFA said

Visiting Taiwan for the first time, Horbatowski said he was deeply impressed by the country's advanced political and economic development.

As a major exporter of agricultural products, Poland welcomes Taiwan's decision to open its market to Polish blueberries, Horbatowski said, adding that he hopes for continued cooperation between Taiwan and Poland in both agriculture and high-tech sectors to enhance the well-being of their peoples.