I read with interest "Fake shark fins may be infiltrating the Taiwan market" (Nov. 24, page 2).
The supply of shark fins has not reduced "because of attempts to conserve sharks" as there has been no meaningful restrictions placed on any of the commercialized species. It has reduced because the shark is disappearing. Fishing for shark has gone up dramatically -- witness 365 Indonesian boats seized in Australian waters last year, for example -- and spread to even the remotest of places. There are simply fewer sharks available, while the market, especially China, has exploded. It is estimated that fins from 40 million sharks a year are used for soup and in a recent survey 35 percent of urban Chinese reported eating shark fin soup in the last year.
Hydrogen peroxide and other chemicals are used to treat both real and fake fins and consumers should know they are eating chemicals as well as destroying the environment. But perhaps even more serious is the high levels of the toxin methyl mercury found in many shark fins. A recent survey indicates one-third of fins contain levels in excess of WHO recommendations. This is especially dangerous for people who consume a lot of other seafood, which may also contain mercury, and to pregnant women as it may cause developmental problems for the unborn child.
So there is much better advice for potential consumers than "get to know your shark fin." Just say no to shark fin and help protect your health and the world's oceans.
Peter Knights
Executive director, WildAid
San Francisco
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has long been expansionist and contemptuous of international law. Under Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平), the CCP regime has become more despotic, coercive and punitive. As part of its strategy to annex Taiwan, Beijing has sought to erase the island democracy’s international identity by bribing countries to sever diplomatic ties with Taipei. One by one, China has peeled away Taiwan’s remaining diplomatic partners, leaving just 12 countries (mostly small developing states) and the Vatican recognizing Taiwan as a sovereign nation. Taiwan’s formal international space has shrunk dramatically. Yet even as Beijing has scored diplomatic successes, its overreach
After 37 US lawmakers wrote to express concern over legislators’ stalling of critical budgets, Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) pledged to make the Executive Yuan’s proposed NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.7 billion) special defense budget a top priority for legislative review. On Tuesday, it was finally listed on the legislator’s plenary agenda for Friday next week. The special defense budget was proposed by President William Lai’s (賴清德) administration in November last year to enhance the nation’s defense capabilities against external threats from China. However, the legislature, dominated by the opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), repeatedly blocked its review. The
In her article in Foreign Affairs, “A Perfect Storm for Taiwan in 2026?,” Yun Sun (孫韻), director of the China program at the Stimson Center in Washington, said that the US has grown indifferent to Taiwan, contending that, since it has long been the fear of US intervention — and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) inability to prevail against US forces — that has deterred China from using force against Taiwan, this perceived indifference from the US could lead China to conclude that a window of opportunity for a Taiwan invasion has opened this year. Most notably, she observes that
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) said on Monday that it would be announcing its mayoral nominees for New Taipei City, Yilan County and Chiayi City on March 11, after which it would begin talks with the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) to field joint opposition candidates. The KMT would likely support Deputy Taipei Mayor Lee Shu-chuan (李四川) as its candidate for New Taipei City. The TPP is fielding its chairman, Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌), for New Taipei City mayor, after Huang had officially announced his candidacy in December last year. Speaking in a radio program, Huang was asked whether he would join Lee’s
RSS