Chinese mainland names two diehard Taiwan secessionists

The Chinese mainland on Wednesday added two individuals to its list of diehard Taiwan secessionists, bringing the total number on this list to 14, a spokesperson said.

These two individuals are Liu Shih-fang and Cheng Ying-yao, Chen Binhua, the spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, told a press conference in Beijing.

Both Liu and Cheng serve as officials of Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party authorities. Liu heads Taiwan's internal affairs body, while Cheng is in charge of education.

"Liu Shih-fang blatantly propagates the fallacy of Taiwan separatism, suppresses Taiwan people who support and participate in cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation, persecutes mainland spouses in Taiwan, goes all out to create obstacles for cross-Strait people-to-people interactions, and blocks channels for communication between people on both sides of the Strait. Cheng Ying-yao brazenly trumpets provocative rhetoric seeking separatism, organizes the compilation of Taiwan separatism textbooks, poisons the minds of young people in the island, and obstructs cross-Strait educational exchanges and cooperation," Chen said.

Taiwan secessionists are lawbreakers and criminals bent on splitting the country and sabotaging the development of cross-Strait relations. They are traitors to the Chinese nation who harm the interests of their fellow Chinese, Chen said.

"Based on relevant laws and regulations, the mainland has decided to include Liu Shih-fang and Cheng Ying-yao in the list of diehard Taiwan secessionists, and impose sanctions, prohibiting Liu, Cheng, and their families from entering the mainland and the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions, restricting their affiliated institutions from cooperating with relevant mainland organizations and individuals, and absolutely banning their affiliated enterprises and financial backers from seeking profits on the mainland. We will take all necessary measures to punish them in accordance with the law and hold them accountable for life," Chen said.

Chinese mainland names two diehard Taiwan secessionists

Global food commodity prices climbed for a second consecutive month in March, driven mainly by higher energy costs linked to escalating conflict in the Middle East, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) said in report released on Friday.

The FAO Food Price Index, which tracks monthly changes in the international prices of a basket of globally traded food commodities, averaged 128.5 points in March, up 2.4 percent from February and 1.0 percent above its level a year ago.

According to the report, the FAO Vegetable Oil Index and Sugar Price Index showed the largest increases, up 5.1 percent and 7.2 percent, respectively.

The FAO Cereal Price Index increased by 1.5 percent from the previous month, driven primarily by higher world wheat prices, which rose 4.3 percent.

The FAO Meat Price Index rose by 1.0 percent from the previous month, and the FAO All-Rice Price Index declined by 3.0 percent in March, according to the report.

FAO stated that rising energy and fertilizer prices have been driving up agricultural input costs.

If the conflict stretches beyond 40 days, farmers will have to choose to farm the same with fewer inputs, plant less, or switch to less intensive fertilizer crops, according to FAO Chief Economist Maximo Torero.

These choices will hit future yields and shape food supply and commodity prices for the rest of this year and beyond, Torero said.

Global food prices rise for 2nd consecutive month in March amid Middle East conflict: FAO