China says it will resume imports of grouper fish from Taiwan. The move is seen as part of China's influence campaign ahead of Taiwan's presidential election in January.

Chinese customs authorities had suspended imports of the high-end fish farmed in Taiwan since June last year, citing repeated detections of banned chemicals.

Beijing said on Friday that it will resume imports of groupers from seven aquaculture enterprises. All are based in southern Taiwan, a stronghold of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, which is resisting pressure from China.

One of the seven entities told NHK it is naturally better to support the largest opposition Kuomintang party if the fish farmers want to continue shipping to China.

In June, China resumed imports of sugar apples from Taiwan. They are grown in an area that strongly supports the Kuomintang, which favors more exchanges with China.

A spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of China's State Council said the Kuomintang had strongly requested the resumption of grouper imports.

The official stressed that as long as both sides of the Taiwan strait oppose "Taiwan independence," they can resolve any issue because they belong to one family.

Taiwan's agriculture ministry has criticized China's measures, saying the Chinese government should not unilaterally disclose a list of some businesses because of political considerations.