IN BRIEF
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In a telling episode of globalization, the China finds herself accused by Taiwan to practice a labelling fraud by transporting vegetables grown in China via the Vietnam to attribute a false origin to them. According to Taiwanese authorities, products such as the Chinese cabbage and the shiitake mushrooms would be refurbished in Vietnam and equipped with certificates of origin sold illegally, a process compared to whiteningIn response to these practices, Taipei is considering enhanced control measures—aerial surveillance and volume thresholds resulting in heavy penalties. sanctions — while European precedents show that origin concealment also affects avocados, wines and tomato pastes, and can be linked to forced labor, now targeted by action from the European Union.
Summary : Recent revelations have highlighted a practice of concealing the true origin of vegetables produced in China by routing them through Vietnam, then relabeling them as Vietnamese before exporting them to Taiwan. This phenomenon illustrates a broader problem: the vulnerability of supply chains and the increasing number of ways to circumvent trade bans, which involve labelling fraudindustrial relabeling and transnational networks for the illegal circulation of agricultural products.
The facts revealed
Taiwanese authorities recently denounced an operation aimed at bringing vegetables grown in mainland China onto the market under the guise of Vietnamese origin. According to the Taiwanese Minister of Agriculture, shipments of Chinese cabbage and of shiitake mushrooms would be diverted via Vietnam, repackaged and accompanied by documents showing a certificate of origin Vietnamese, in order to circumvent the import restrictions imposed by Taiwan.
Mechanism and scope
The described process involves shipping batches from producing regions in China to Vietnamese intermediaries where the products are sorted, repackaged, and labeled before being exported again. Testimonies gathered by the press indicate that it is possible to obtain an official Vietnamese certificate of origin for approximately $410, a cost that transforms the supply chain into a type of operation. whitening of commercial origin.
A context of tensions and prohibitions
The use of these strategies is taking place against a backdrop of strained trade relations between Taiwan and mainland China. Following episodes of retaliation—such as the suspension of Taiwanese pineapple imports in 2021—Taiwan tightened its restrictions and, in 2024, banned more than a thousand agricultural and fisheries products from China. Faced with these barriers, some operators appear to be resorting to increasingly circuitous routes to maintain their export volumes.
These practices are not isolated: they are part of an industrial landscape where the control of raw materials and flows are strategic. Analyses are concerned about Chinese stocks and the centralization of supplies, which could worry markets and manufacturers worldwide (The Tribune), while investigations detail how China is consolidating its position through control of critical resources (Challenges).
Fragilities in the global supply chain
Furthermore, external geopolitical events, such as the conflict in Iran, have shown how quickly disruptions can shake Chinese industrial hubs and their associated production flows (The Press ; WatsonThese shocks reinforce the incentive to seek workarounds when a market becomes difficult to access.
Related frauds and regional network
The phenomenon of fraudulent labeling is not limited to East Asia. In Europe, cases of avocados produced in Morocco being “Hispanized” or of misleading labeling on tomato paste have already been observed, illustrating a logic where the consumer pays for a supposedly superior origin. Large-scale fraud cases involving wines and other foodstuffs have been uncovered in recent years, highlighting the industrial and organized nature of certain manipulations.
In the region, investigations also reveal the permeability of criminal networks and the diversity of offenses: incidents of fraud involving foreign nationals in Thailand (Southeast Asia), strengthening of tourist surveillance following sensitive social cases (Southeast Asia), or even the involvement of relatives of political figures in scams in Cambodia (Southeast Asia).
The Vietnamese authorities themselves are striving to regain control over these flows and combat export-related fraud, particularly to markets such as the United States (Southeast Asia), while targeted measures lead to the repatriation of individuals involved in online fraud linked to transnational networks (Southeast Asia).
Ethical issues: forced labor and transparency
The controversy also extends to ethical dimensions: products presented as European or “organic” sometimes turn out to come from areas where production conditions are questionable, or even linked to… forced laborProven cases of the use of forced labor have led to reports and investigations, and the European Union is preparing stronger bans to prevent the placing on the market of products made with forced labor from December 2027.
The risk for the consumer is twofold: deception regarding origin—which distorts the price and perceived value—and unwitting complicity in production chains with opaque practices. This makes the traceability and the verification of certifications is all the more crucial.
Controls, sanctions and operational outlook
To address these practices, Taipei has mentioned enhanced control measures, including the aerial surveillance designed to map the volumes produced and exported from certain areas. The idea is to cross-reference production and export data: if the reported flows exceed local capacities, investigations and sanctions can be triggered.
Beyond air traffic control, authorities and private actors are discussing complementary measures: enhanced audits of supply chains, harmonization of certificates of origin, regional customs cooperation, and targeted sanctions against identified operators. These tools will need to be integrated with broader industrial policies, given the strategic importance of resources and raw materials, as analyzed by investigations into Chinese control of certain critical commodity markets.New Factory) or on the concern raised by Chinese stockpiles (The Tribune).
These issues go beyond the question of vegetables alone: they point to the need for more robust international regulation, regional police cooperation and increased vigilance from importers and distributors in the face of increasingly sophisticated supply chains.
Raw materials chronicle: vegetable labeling fraud — frequently asked questions
Q: What is the recent survey about vegetables and labelling about?
A: The investigation sheds light on a practice of false declaration of origin : agricultural products grown in China would be reconditioned at Vietnam then exported to Taiwan under a Vietnamese label, in order to circumvent prohibitions commercial.
Q: Who reported this practice and what is the nature of the accusation?
A: He is the Taiwanese minister ofAgriculture who raised the alarm, accusing Chinese companies of ” whiten “their vegetables by passing them through the Vietnam to conceal their true origin.
Q: What types of products are affected?
A: Among the products mentioned are the Chinese cabbage and the shiitake mushrooms, but the process can be applied to various vegetables and agricultural products exported from mainland China.
Q: Why would these companies try to hide the origin of the products?
A: For several years, trade relations between the China And Taiwan tensions are running high: retaliatory measures and prohibitions Targets targeting agricultural products have been taken, prompting some actors to falsify origin in order to continue accessing the Taiwanese market.
Q: What specific mechanism is used to conceal the origin?
A: The products would be refurbished at Vietnamequipped with Vietnamese certificate of origin and re-exported. According to a Taiwanese member of parliament quoted in the press, it would be possible to obtain such an official certificate for approximately $410facilitating fraud.
Q: What control measures does Taiwan plan to implement to detect these frauds?
A: The Taiwanese Ministry ofAgriculture mentions in particular a aerial surveillance intended to map the volumes produced and exported from certain regions of Vietnam, in order to identify anomalies and apply sanctions if thresholds are exceeded.
Q: Is this type of fraud new or specific to Asia?
A: No. Origin fraud also exists in Europe For example, avocados produced at Morocco sold under label Spanish, or Spanish wines labeled FrenchThese practices often aim to increase the perceived price and deceive the consumer.
Q: Are there additional ethical issues related to these frauds?
A: Yes. Some supply chains conceal products made under working conditions that violate human rights, such as processed tomatoes with links to forced labor. L’European Union planned to ban the placing on the market of products made with forced labor from the December 14, 2027.
Q: Who is the main loser when the origin is falsified?
A: Mainly the consumer, which often pays more for a product presented as coming from a “premium” source; but also honest producers who suffer from unfair competition and regulated markets.
Q: What can authorities and consumers do to limit these frauds?
A: The authorities can strengthen the customs controlstraceability and monitoring (including via air transport or export data). Consumers may demand certifications verifiable, prioritize transparency in the supply chains and inquire about theorigin actual value of the products purchased.