China’s alleged theft of a pineapple cultivar has Taiwan livid
A completely different kind of grey-zone tactic
In their quest for the perfect pineapple, Taiwan’s agricultural engineers spared no effort. They spent almost 25 years developing a variety with a mango-like fragrance, a longer shelf life than the island’s dominant strain, and a resistance to blemishing in its hot and humid summer. Released in 2018, it was officially named Tainung No. 23. But it soon became known as the Mango Pineapple.
Explore more
This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “Spiky relations”
More from China
An outrage that even China’s supine media has called out
Anger is growing over a form of detention linked to torture and deaths
Why foreign law firms are leaving China
A number of them are in motion to vacate
An initiative so feared that China has stopped saying its name
“Made in China 2025” has been a success, but at what cost?
A pay rise for government workers sparks anger and envy in China
The effort to improve morale has not had the intended effect
A big earthquake causes destruction in Tibet
Dozens are dead, thousands of buildings have been destroyed
Militant Uyghurs in Syria threaten the Chinese government
How much does China have to fear?