The Singaporean Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) has decided to lift safety measures on certain Taiwanese products and return to normalized trade, the Taipei Representative Office in Singapore announced yesterday, a move that is seen as disproving rumors that relations between the nation’s envoy and the city-state are strained.
After the plasticizer food scare in May last year, Singapore enacted measures compelling five major foodstuff imports from Taiwan, namely sports drinks, juice products, tea products, jams and syrup products, and foodstuffs in the form of capsules, pills or powders to be labeled with the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ (MOEA) Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection’s special proof of examination.
The plasticizer scare refers to the use of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, or DEHP, and other -plasticizers, -chemical substances used to increase pliability in plastic materials and which have been found to be endocrine disruptors, in food additives such as clouding agents.
The office said that after assuring the AVA that the plasticizer issue has been taken care of in Taiwan and urging it to consider lifting the extra safety measures on Taiwanese imports, the authority had agreed to a general lift of the measures starting on March 1.
The office further said that the ban would help Taiwanese food industries receive more contracts at a three-day foodstuffs exhibition starting on April 17, to which the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) and foodstuff unions have invited 72 firms.
Meanwhile, the lifting of the measures is being seen as disproving rumors that there were “issues” during the tenure of soon-to-be--recalled Representative to Singapore Vanessa Shih (史亞平).
Shih’s recall has been the focus of media speculation lately, with the Chinese-language China Times publishing an article speculating that Shih, to facilitate a free-trade agreement with Singapore and resolve agriculture-related negotiations, had asked to see former Singaporean prime minister Lee Kwan Yew (李光耀).
The piece also speculated that Shih angered the Singaporean government, who called for a change of representatives, by insisting on meeting with Lee despite Lee’s saying that meeting face-to-face would not bring about any guarantees.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday declined to comment on the media speculation.
Shih is being reassigned, but it has not yet been decided when she will return to Taiwan, the ministry said, adding that it would announce her successor once the ministry has finished the list of candidates.
Translated by Jake Chung, Staff Writer
Chinese spouse and influencer Guan Guan’s (關關) residency permit has been revoked for repeatedly posting pro-China videos that threaten national security, the National Immigration Agency confirmed today. Guan Guan has said many controversial statements in her videos posted to Douyin (抖音), including “the red flag will soon be painted all over Taiwan” and “Taiwan is an inseparable part of China,” and expressing hope for expedited reunification. The agency last year received multiple reports alleging that Guan Guan had advocated for armed reunification. After verifying the reports, the agency last month issued a notice requiring her to appear and explain her actions. Guan
GIVE AND TAKE: Blood demand continues to rise each year, while fewer young donors are available due to the nation’s falling birthrate, a doctor said Blood donors can redeem points earned from donations to obtain limited edition Formosan black bear travel mugs, the Kaohsiung Blood Center said yesterday, as it announced a goal of stocking 20,000 units of blood prior to the Lunar New Year. The last month of the lunar year is National Blood Donation Month, when local centers seek to stockpile blood for use during the Lunar New Year holiday. The blood demand in southern Taiwan — including Tainan and Kaohsiung, as well as Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Taitung counties — is about 2,000 units per day, the center said. The donation campaign aims to boost
The Kaohsiung Tourism Bureau audited six hotels in an effort to prevent price gouging ahead of Korean band BTS’ concert tour in the city scheduled for Nov. 19, 21 and 22 this year. The bureau on Friday said that the audits — conducted in response to allegations of unfair pricing posted on social media — found no wrongdoing. These establishments included the local branches of Chateau de Chine, Hotel Nikko, My Humble House, and Grand Hai Lai, it said, adding that the Consumer Protection Commission would have penalized price gougers had the accusations been substantiated. The bureau said the Tourism Development Act
A preclearance service to facilitate entry for people traveling to select airports in Japan would be available from Thursday next week to Feb. 25 at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, Taoyuan International Airport Corp (TIAC) said on Tuesday. The service was first made available to Taiwanese travelers throughout the winter vacation of 2024 and during the Lunar New Year holiday. In addition to flights to the Japanese cities of Hakodate, Asahikawa, Akita, Sendai, Niigata, Okayama, Takamatsu, Kumamoto and Kagoshima, the service would be available to travelers to Kobe and Oita. The service can be accessed by passengers of 15 flight routes operated by
RSS