A visitor tries to ride a motorcycle of Chinese motorcycle maker ZXMOTO at the 139th edition of the China Import and Export Fair in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, April 17, 2026. The recent historic double victory by Chinese motorcycle maker ZXMOTO in the World Supersport category at the Portuguese round of the Superbike World Championship has drawn widespread attention. (Xinhua/Lu Hanxin)

Taiwan media outlet United Daily News recently predicted that the representative word for Taiwan this year is neither "peace" nor "stability," but "poison." From driving under the influence of drugs and sprouted potatoes to tainted cooking oil and contaminated apples, a succession of risks has caused the great anxiety among public. Public opinion on the island has mocked the Lai Ching-te authorities for ushering in the "First Year of Taiwan Poison." 

This criticism is well-founded. What the public on the island has witnessed is not merely a widening food safety crisis, but also the Lai authorities' sluggish response, concealment of information, and evasion of responsibility. What the people have consumed is not just tainted oil, but the bitter fruit of governance failure.

Yet, just as the tainted oil scandal continued to escalate and public outrage mounted, Taiwan's economic authorities demonstrated astonishing "efficiency" regarding a different matter: They announced a ban on the importation of the mainland brand ZXMOTO and even prohibited the practice of shipping parts separately for assembly in Taiwan, warning that violations could incur fines of up to NT$25 million ($772,500).

The question is, what do the DPP authorities truly care about: a mainland brand or an "opposing anything related to the mainland" stance?

ZXMOTO has garnered significant attention in Taiwan, gaining popularity thanks to its product quality. With its performance in international racing and a competitive price point, the 820RR rapidly gained traction among Taiwan motorcycle enthusiasts, sparking online calls for its import. What truly stung the DPP authorities was not the motorcycle itself, but the underlying reality: The Chinese mainland is capable of manufacturing high-quality products that win the acclaim of Taiwan consumers and are eagerly sought after in international markets.

This is precisely what the DPP fears most. Once the Taiwan public experiences the competitiveness of mainland products at the level of direct consumption, many "anti-mainland" narratives will instantly crumble. While the DPP constantly portrays the mainland as backward, dangerous, and hostile, it cannot stop consumers from making their own judgments: "This vehicle performs well and is reasonably priced - why shouldn't I buy it?" Ultimately, what the DPP seeks to block is not the motorcycles themselves, but the way this reality undermines its political narrative.

Even more ironic is that the argument about "protecting Taiwan's industry" holds no water. Taiwan's heavy motorcycle market is already dominated by Japanese brands, with local brands accounting for only a small share. If ZXMOTO were to enter the Taiwan market - renting storefronts, hiring staff, appointing distributors, and providing after-sales service - it would bring vitality and offer consumers new choices. The DPP pays lip service to protecting industry, yet in reality, it refuses to grant consumers even the right to choose. Put simply, this is not a matter of economic logic; it is a case of "anti-mainland" sentiment taken to the point of irrationality.

Consider the "First Year of Taiwan Poison." In the face of the tainted oil scandal, the Lai Ching-te authorities' response represented the opposite extreme: sluggishness, stalling, and evasion. As the number of problematic batches grew and their distribution spread, the pace of product recalls, testing, and public disclosure consistently lagged behind the unfolding crisis. While the public was most concerned about how many tainted products remained on the market and how many families had already consumed them, the authorities did little more than oscillate between procedural explanations, jurisdictional buck-passing, and reactive clarifications. They failed to act swiftly when speed was required, failed to be transparent when openness was needed, and failed to take responsibility when accountability was called for.

Even more farcical is the DPP's tendency to steer the conversation toward being "anti-mainland" whenever its governance falters. Issues ranging from tainted cooking oil to driving under the influence of drugs are fundamentally matters of governance, regulation, and accountability; yet, the pro-independence camp invariably seeks to drown out calls for accountability by stoking louder political clamor. It is as if, simply by holding the "anti-mainland" banner high enough, the issue of "Taiwan poison" can be swept under the rug.

Ultimately, why does the DPP fear ZXMOTO more than the "First Year of Taiwan Poison"? Because while the "First Year of Taiwan Poison" exposes governance incompetence - something that might still be masked by public relations - ZXMOTO strikes at the very heart of the "anti-mainland myth" upon which the DPP relies for its survival.

An authority that fails to safeguard the safety of the food people eat, yet strictly controls what they can buy, clearly prioritizes partisan self-interest over the well-being and safety of the public. The true danger facing Taiwan today lies not merely in tainted oil, contaminated fruit, or driving under the influence of drugs, but in this governance logic that puts the cart before the horse and in an obsession with opposing anything related to the mainland that has spiraled out of control. They fear accountability regarding tainted oil; they fear losing face regarding ZXMOTO. What they truly dread is reality - the prospect of the Taiwan people witnessing firsthand the mainland's advancement, reliability, and appeal. 

The "First Year of Taiwan Poison" and the obstruction of ZXMOTO reveal a clear truth: What the DPP fears is not poison, but the actual truth. As some people on the island aptly put it, this is an old society shrouded in utter darkness.