The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday said it was “optimistic” the government would allow a comprehensive opening to US beef “sometime this year” after a four-year ban on meat from US cattle aged more than 30 months.
Director-general of the ministry’s Department of North American Affairs Harry Tseng (曾厚仁) said US beef topped the discussion agenda between the two sides and negotiations had reached their final stage.
As the issue is complicated, representatives from the Department of Health and the Council of Agriculture, in addition to the Ministry of Economic Affairs and MOFA, have been involved in the process, said Teng at a regular press briefing yesterday.
PUSHING
The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) has been pushing Taiwan to open its market to US beef. On several occasions, AIT Director Stephen Young has said US beef poses no health risk and urged Taiwan to follow World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) recommendations by allowing importation of a full range of US beef products.
Last December, MOFA Minister Francisco Ou (歐鴻鍊) said the government was carefully assessing the issue in light of public disturbances in South Korea when Seoul agreed to lift the ban. The South Korean Cabinet resigned en masse because of vehement public opposition to the decision.
PARTIAL BAN
Since 2005, Taiwan twice imposed a partial ban on US beef after two confirmed cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease, were discovered in the US. Currently, only bone-free beef from cattle aged less than 30 months is allowed to be sold in Taiwan.
In related news, Tseng refused to confirm speculation that William Stanton, the US deputy representative to South Korea, was to replace Young, whose term ends this summer.
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