AIT director Paal urges Taiwan to move on US beef

Douglas Paal, director of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), the US' de facto embasssy,yesterday again urged Taiwan to lift the import ban on US beef, which the nation's authorities imposed over concerns about mad cow disease, and move towards further market deregulation that would benefit US agricultural products.

"It is unfortunate that US beef continues to be banned from Taiwan," Paal said, while addressing the annual general meeting of the American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei yesterday.

In his speech, Paal urged Taiwanese authorities to re-open the market for US beef. Taiwan banned US beef for the second time in June, after a second cow tested positive for mad-cow disease. Prior to that, the nation's health regulator agreed to lift the restrictions and allow US beef to enter the market in April, 16 months after the first ban came into effect in December 2003.

Paal said that Taiwanese authorities have publicly recognized that US beef is safe, but have yet to take action after receiving the necessary information from the US over two months ago.

"It is vital that Taiwan returns to the principle of basing trade and market regulations on sound science in order for Taiwan to be viewed as a reliable trade partner," he said, adding that AIT is working to have the ban lifted as soon as possible.

The US is also concerned about Taiwan's participation in the so-called G-10 group, which opposes a US initiative contained in the WTO Doha round of talks to liberalize market access for agricultural products, Paal said.

"This is inconsistent with Taiwan's stance supporting liberalized trade in manufactured goods and services, and inconsistent with the benefits Taiwan has received from free trade," he said.

Moreover, Paal urged Taiwan to extend openness in the government procurement sector so that it can meet its 2002 WTO accession commitments, while raising concerns over sales of counterfeit merchandise over the Internet and fake medicines. Counterfeit pharmaceuticals make up 25 percent of all pharmaceuticals sold in Taiwan.

The US official, however, praised the signs of progress toward cross-strait charter flights and the further opening of Taiwan to tourists from China, saying the measures promised important economic benefits for both sides.