A group of activists demonstrated at the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) yesterday to protest what they called Washington’s high-handed attitude in forcing Taiwan to open its doors to US beef containing residues of the leanness-enhancing drug ractopamine.
The protest was organized by several civic groups, including the National Alliance for Food Safety and Citizen Congress Watch.
The Legislative Yuan is scheduled to vote next week on a package of amendments to the Act Governing Food Sanitation (食品衛生管理法) that would pave the way for the entry under strict conditions of US beef containing residues of the currently banned drug.
Photo: Chen Ping-hung, Taipei Times
The activists sang ballads, performed skits and chanted slogans to highlight their cause.
In one skit, activists acted as US President Barack Obama and AIT Director William Stanton, forcing Taiwanese people to eat US beef contaminated with ractopamine, a drug that is banned in Taiwan and dozens of other countries because of health concerns.
Chen Man-li (陳曼麗), president of the Homemakers United Foundation, a key member of a national alliance for food safety, described the US as one of Taiwan’s allies in the international community.
“Therefore, it should not be coercing Taiwan to import its ractopamine-contaminated beef, putting our people’s health at risk,” Chen said.
Even though Taiwan is an “underdog” in global society, it should not be forced to seek international cooperation at the expense of its people’s health, Chen added.
Cheng Hsiu-chuan (鄭秀娟), head of the Wenshan Community College in Taipei, said the US traditionally regards Taiwan as a friend.
“It should not stray from that tradition by forcing Taiwan to import its drug-tainted beef. We should fight against such a move to win respect. Otherwise, we could be forced to compromise on more things or accept even more humiliating terms in the future,” Cheng said.
Police officers were mobilized to keep the protesters away from the AIT’s main entrance.
The AIT did not send any officials to meet the demonstrators.
The protest lasted for about 15 minutes and ended peacefully.
NATIONAL SECURITY: Authorities are working to confirm the identities of the military personnel involved and investigating possible illegal conduct and regulatory violations Authorities are probing possible national security implications after Kinmen police and immigration officers on Sunday found a Chinese woman allegedly posing as a tourist while engaging in prostitution involving more than 10 military personnel. The woman, surnamed Chen (陳), has since been deported, authorities said, adding that investigators are still working to confirm the identities of those implicated, as the records only listed code names and aliases. The case stemmed from a report received by the Kinmen District Prosecutors’ Office on Friday last week from the Jinhu Precinct of the Kinmen County Police Bureau. On Sunday, police, along with the National Immigration
GLOBALGIVING: ‘ Caving to external pressure is not acceptable for an organization that has cultivated justice reform and human rights for 30 years,’ one NGO said A slew of non-government organizations (NGOs) have withdrawn from the GlobalGiving fundraising platform after it announced it would use “Chinese Taipei” instead of “Taiwan” from next month. The Taiwan Good Rice Association wrote on Facebook on Friday that it was informed on April 28 via a teleconference call of the change, which was made because the platform wanted to operate in China. Taiwan Good Rice is to terminate all cooperative relationships with GlobalGiving in response to the platform’s “unilateral and non-negotiable” decision to remove references to Taiwan, the NGO said. “Taiwan is in the official name of Taiwan Good Rice Association and the
HEAVY WEATHER: Typhoon Jangmi is due to crash straight into the Ryukyus as airlines look to shift flights to larger aircraft or cancel flights to Okinawa entirely Taiwan’s international air carriers announced flight adjustments over the weekend as Typhoon Jangmi is forecast to hit the Ryukyu Islands today and tomorrow. The Central Weather Administration (CWA) upgraded Jangmi from a tropical storm to a typhoon at 8am yesterday, with the eye located 580km south of Naha city. It was moving north at 19kph. Today, China Airlines’ CI-120, CI-121, CI-122 and CI-123 flights between Taoyuan and Naha, Okinawa, have been canceled as well as CI-132 and CI-133 between Kaohsiung and Naha. EVA Air’s BR-112, BR-113, BR-186 and BR-185 flights between Taoyuan and Naha are also canceled. Low-cost carrier Tigerair Taiwan canceled IT-230,
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) yesterday briefed her party’s Central Standing Committee regarding her scheduled visit to the US between Monday next week and June 16, saying that her purpose would be to persuade the US that the Republic of China (ROC) Constitution was a “one China” constitution that would foster stable and peaceful cross-strait relations. The ROC Constitution is the most important defense for all Taiwanese citizens, as it upholds our democracy and has contributed to our robust economy, which aligns with international and US interests, she said. “We would not be troublemakers and drag the US under,”
RSS