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Legislators assail minister on US beef

Shoppers look at beef at a Costco store in Taipei County yesterday. PHOTO: LIU JUNG, TAIPEI TIMES

The controversy over US beef imports showed no sign of abating yesterday after legislators across the political spectrum stood together in demanding that the government re-open negotiations with the US.

Department of Health Minister Yaung Chih-liang (楊志良) faced tough questions over the government’s negotiations with the US and accusations that the process had not been transparent.

Taiwan agreed to lift a ban on US bone-in beef from cattle younger than 30 months in a protocol it signed in Washington last month.

Legislators said they had not been aware of either the negotiations or what was discussed.

“As the whole process has not been transparent, I don’t think the public can accept the risks,” Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chen Ying (陳瑩) said. “Furthermore, as even the government does not fully know the risks involved, how can we [lift the ban on these beef products]?”

Claiming that allowing US bone-in beef was “just too risky,” legislators urged the government to throw out the results of the negotiations, which they called a “humiliation” and said had “forfeited the nation’s sovereignty.”

“As the whole process has not been transparent, I don’t think the public can accept the risks. Furthermore, as even the government does not fully know the risks involved, how can we [lift the ban on these beef products]?” — Chen Ying, DPP legislator

The legislators called for a new round of talks.

President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said last week that re-opening the negotiations after they had already been concluded would damage Taiwan’s credibility.

Despite this, several Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers called for new negotiations.

“There is an absolute need to re-open the negotiations,” KMT Legislator Cheng Ru-fen (鄭汝芬) said.

In reference to the risks associated with US beef, she said: “Instead of the government saying that consumers should be careful, it is the government that should be more careful.”

The health department has said it has the necessary facilities and expertise to ensure that allowing in US bone-in beef would carry minimal risks.

As a result, officials said the risk of consumers contracting Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease was around “one in 10 billion.”

KMT Legislator Wu Chin-chih (吳清池) disagreed and asked to see how the government had reached that figure.

He later said that if the government could not back up those figures, he would fight its beef policy in the legislature.

DPP Legislator Huang Sue-ying (黃淑英) criticized the health department for making up its mind on the beef policy before hearing the opinions of lawmakers or the public.

“It is clear that the DOH has already made up its mind to release this protocol with or without the approval of this committee,” she said.

In response, Yaung said that the health department respected the authority of the legislature.

Meanwhile, the DPP said yesterday that a referendum on the issue must be held to force the government realize that the public disapproves of its decision.

The party was throwing its weight behind a petition for a referendum initiated by various civic organizations.

The Consumers’ Foundation and several other groups are seeking at least 90,000 signatures to launch a referendum application that would ask the public whether it wants the government renegotiate its agreement with the US.

While the government and the US have repeatedly said that the meat is safe, local DPP and KMT politicians have also voiced opposition to the policy, citing potential health threats.

DPP city council members in Kaohsiung and Hsinchu said they would lead a street demonstration if the government refuses to heed the public’s calls.

DPP Spokesman Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) quoted a press release from the Nebraska state government that stated a protocol had been signed and a public review in Taiwan is pending.

“Following that review, the agreement is set to go into effect on Nov. 2. It will allow for the import of bone-in beef from cattle younger than 30 months of age. Currently Taiwan only accepts beef in that age group that is boneless. After 180 days, government officials will review the 30 month age limit and consider full trade access for US beef,” the statement said.

Tsai said that the press release from the government showed there were still many questions that needed to be answered on the beef policy.

The review in six months means US beef exports to Taiwan are not a done deal as the government has said, Tsai said.

The protocol is available on the health department’s Web site in English. So far, the government has not released a Chinese translation of the agreement for public view.
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