Revved up about one motorcycle, Taiwan's DPP under scrutiny over cross-Strait policies

TAIPEI, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- A single display motorcycle from a mainland manufacturer was not a weapon, not a security threat and not even intended for public roads. Yet it was enough to trigger a cross-department operation by Taiwan authorities, drawing ridicule and criticism over what many residents saw as political overreaction and double standards toward mainland products.

The island's economic affairs authorities, together with several other departments, seized a motorcycle of the mainland manufacturer ZXMOTO in New Taipei City earlier this week.

Under current rules, complete heavy motorcycles and engines from the Chinese mainland are prohibited from entering Taiwan.

Interest in ZXMOTO surged across Taiwan after the company's 820RR-RS race bike swept two races at the Portuguese round of the Superbike World Championship in March, a historic breakthrough by a Chinese motorcycle manufacturer in one of the world's premier production-based motorcycle racing series.

Wang Mao-sheng, a Taiwan engineer, and local YouTuber and motorcycle enthusiast Mia spent six weeks dismantling an 820RR into hundreds of individual components, transporting the parts across the Taiwan Strait before painstakingly reassembling the motorcycle in Taiwan.

The bike was displayed in a motorcycle fair in Taipei, drawing crowds of curious visitors.

Wang said on his social media account on Wednesday that the motorcycle had not been imported as a complete vehicle. Instead, parts from a ZXMOTO motorcycle purchased in Guangzhou were combined with components from other brands and processed and assembled in Taiwan.

"All the import declarations can be checked and verified," Wang said.

Taiwan's economic affairs authorities said that assembling a complete motorcycle on the island could also fall under relevant regulations and requires prior approval, including compliance with conditions concerning what they describe as security and economic considerations.

The authorities further claimed that they would not approve such applications even if businesses sought permission.

The seizure has triggered skepticism and criticism online among Taiwan residents.

"If Taiwan people suddenly discover that mainland motorcycles are this good and offer such good value, wouldn't all the previous efforts to smear them be wasted?" one commenter remarked.

Some residents also accused the authorities of applying a double standard, noting that complete motorcycles produced in Japan, Europe and the United States can enter the Taiwan market, while those from the Chinese mainland face restrictions.

"What exactly is the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities afraid of?" said Chen, who runs a motorcycle shop in Taipei. "Their extensive response to an assembled motorcycle intended for display was probably still driven by political motive."

Taiwan motorcycle reviewer Hsieh Tsung-heng also questioned the scale of the enforcement operation.

"The cross-departmental operation appeared as though authorities were dealing with a major threat rather than a motorcycle," Hsieh wrote on his social media account.

Zhang Xue, founder of ZXMOTO, has previously expressed a strong interest in opening a store in Taiwan. He said the outlet would adopt the same quality-control and after-sales service standards as those on the mainland, and expressed a desire to ride around the island.

His remarks received positive responses from internet users and motorcycle enthusiasts on both sides of the Strait. However, the DPP authorities publicly opposed the move and warned that they would investigate what they called potentially illegal investment.

The DPP authorities may be more concerned that Taiwan consumers could see for themselves how far mainland manufacturing has developed, Hsieh said.