On Nov. 14, thousands of Taiwanese took to the streets of Taipei to express their growing concern at the present administration's continued mismanagement of the nation’s international affairs. In line with this, the legislature has been deadlocked on an amendment to the Act Governing Food Sanitation (食品衛生法). At issue, of course, was the recent agreement by President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) government to ease restrictions on US beef imports.
Don’t misunderstand this. It is not that Taiwanese do not like US prime rib, T-bones or filet mignon; they love them. What Taiwanese are upset about is the slipshod manner of negotiations and apparent deal-making that the Ma government is trying to present as a fait accompli.
What was the agreement and what was the presumed deal? Back on Nov. 2, the agreement was this: Ma’s government, with little advance warning, lifted its ban on US bone-in beef and other beef products, including offal and ground beef. These items present a clear and present danger for the people of Taiwan and yet that’s where the Ma government has been cavalier in its attitude toward public safety.
Ma blatantly has tried to dodge the issue by in effect professing, “I am letting in poisoned products, but don’t be alarmed I am not forcing you to buy and eat them.” Then why let them in to begin with?
Here then is the second part. What is the presumed deal? Why, with so little discussion or consultation of the legislature and the public, was this made and announced as a done deal? What was to be gained by letting in such potential dangers? Where is the pay-off that Ma wanted and needed?
Ma has asked legislators not to reject this deal or amend the law because it would risk the nation’s credibility. The issue, however, is not the nation’s credibility, but the credibility of the Ma government in making ill-advised deals with little thought for public health.
In effect, Ma is asking the people to save his face by saying, “My people goofed up and were caught. But please don’t embarrass us in front of the world and the US by asking us to go back to the bargaining table. We will look bad.”
Look bad? Of course they will. Ma’s people looking bad has been the story of this government since it took office. Incompetence and an autocratic attitude of trying to squelch any questioning of its performance has been the order of the day.
The issues, problems and opposition are bigger than US beef. Further dangers loom. The Ma’s government has already signed a financial memorandum of understanding with China, again with little serious discussion. Now, worse still, a blind, non-transparent, economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with China is coming up, a deal that could damage Taiwan’s industries and agricultural sector and weaken the nation’s sovereignty.
Who will be making the profit on these deals as well? The people of Taiwan have good reason to be worried.
Jerome Keating is a writer based in Taipei.
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