Since US President Donald Trump – just days into his second term – began imposing tariffs on China for its role in the flow of deadly opioids like fentanyl into the United States, Beijing’s message has been clear.

China's commerce ministry on Wednesday said it has added eight Taiwanese firms to an export controls list, citing concerns over shipments of dual-use technologies from the democratically governed island that Beijing views as its own territory.

China has imposed export restrictions on eight Taiwanese companies, a move seen as symbolic with little commercial impact. The bans target dual-use items, affecting industries primarily independent of Chinese supply chains.

Momentum is building in Taiwan to lessen its business dependency on China, its biggest trading partner. Doing so will not be easy.

The Ministry of Commerce announced on Wednesday that it has added 8 entities from China's Taiwan region to the export control list. These companies have deliberately cooperated with the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces,