The quality and hygiene of chicken products from Panama comply with export standards, a quarantine official from the Republic of China said Saturday.
Chen Ching-tsung (
However, he declined to say whether Taiwan will import any chicken from Panama.
"Matters pertaining to Taiwan's imports of chicken from Panama will be up to a COA import and quarantine commission," Chen added.
Chen, who arrived in Panama City July 27, has visited relevant agencies from Panama's ministries of health and agricultural development to gain a better understanding of the country's meat inspection process prior to allowing such products to be exported.
He has also visited the slaughterhouses and meat processing factories run by the quasi-official Grupo Melo, one of the largest meat exporters in Panama, which is interested in exporting chicken to Taiwan.
Grupo Melo officials estimated that once Taiwan gives a green light to Panama by issuing a quarantine inspection certificate, the group will be capable of exporting chicken worth between US$1.3 million and US$2 million to Taiwan per year.
According to the Taiwan-Panama Free Trade Agreement, which took effect Jan. 1 this year, Taiwan will offer Panama an annual export quota of 800 tonnes of ready-to-cook chicken legs, chicken wings and other portions, as well as 500 tonnes of chicken offal to Taiwan.
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
Taiwan-Japan Travel Passes are available for use on public transit networks in the two countries, Taoyuan Metro Corp said yesterday, adding that discounts of up to 7 percent are available. Taoyuan Metro, the Taipei MRT and Japan’s Keisei Electric Railway teamed up to develop the pass. Taoyuan Metro operates the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT Line, while Keisei Electric Railway offers express services between Tokyo’s Narita Airport, and the Keisei Ueno and Nippori stations in the Japanese capital, as well as between Narita and Haneda airports. The basic package comprises one one-way ticket on the Taoyuan MRT Line and one Skyliner ticket on
Starlux Airlines, Taiwan’s newest international carrier, has announced it would apply to join the Oneworld global airline alliance before the end of next year. In an investor conference on Monday, Starlux Airlines chief executive officer Glenn Chai (翟健華) said joining the alliance would help it access Taiwan. Chai said that if accepted, Starlux would work with other airlines in the alliance on flight schedules, passenger transits and frequent flyer programs. The Oneworld alliance has 13 members, including American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas, and serves more than 900 destinations in 170 territories. Joining Oneworld would also help boost
A new tropical storm formed late yesterday near Guam and is to approach closest to Taiwan on Thursday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Tropical Storm Pulasan became the 14th named storm of the year at 9:25pm yesterday, the agency said. As of 8am today, it was near Guam traveling northwest at 21kph, it said. The storm’s structure is relatively loose and conditions for strengthening are limited, WeatherRisk analyst Wu Sheng-yu (吳聖宇) said on Facebook. Its path is likely to be similar to Typhoon Bebinca, which passed north of Taiwan over Japan’s Ryukyu Islands and made landfall in Shanghai this morning, he said. However, it