Authorities on the Chinese mainland have lifted the ban on imports of sugar apples from Taiwan on Tuesday, after restricting them due to the detection of harmful pests in 2020.

Zhu Fenglian, spokeswoman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said in a statement on Tuesday that: "We have always respected, cared for and brought benefits to our compatriots in Taiwan."

"The mainland is willing to make joint efforts with those on the island to provide help to resume the import of agricultural and fishery products to the mainland," she said.

The temporary ban on the sugar apple was implemented in September 2020 after several shipments from Taiwan tested positive in containing a type of pest that posed a risk to plant health, Zhu said.

Politicians and business leaders in Taiwan - including Hsia Li-yan, vice-chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang, and Rao Ching-ling, head of Taiwan's Taitung county - had previously called for the resumption of exports and had taken steps to improve the quality of the products, she said.

General Administration of Customs on the mainland decided to allow the import from Tuesday, after comprehensive evaluations of the measures taken to improve the quality of the products, Zhu said, adding that only registered packaging factories and orchards are allowed to export to the mainland.