The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday dismissed concern that a ban on imports of US pork containing the feed additive ractopamine was a major trade irritant that could affect the US’ position on Taiwan’s membership in the nascent Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
“Pork is not a priority issue to be discussed between Taiwan and the US,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrew Kao (高振群) said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) told Kao that the government’s perception that the US has a favorable opinion of Taiwan’s attempts to join the TPP could just be wishful thinking.
Chiang asked Kao if he had heard of the saying “no pork, no talk” that is said to be circulating in Washington — meaning that the US would not start negotiations with Taiwan over its TPP bid unless Taipei agrees to lift the ractopamine ban.
Rumors of “no pork, no talk” did not come from Washington officials, Kao said, but added that the ministry was well aware of the US government’s position that Taiwan should allow imports of US pork containing ractopamine residues.
Kao said the ministry had expressed its wish to the US side that the pork issue should not top the list of trade issues between the two countries.
“There are other issues to talk about. We know how to respond to the US whenever the issue is brought up,” Kao said.
Earlier in the day, Minister of Foreign Affairs David Lin (林永樂) told the committee that the nation’s relations with its 22 diplomatic allies remain stable.
Lin was responding to Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Tsai Huang-liang’s (蔡煌瑯) statement that six of the 22 countries — Vatican City, Sao Tome and Principe, Panama, Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador — are on the verge of cutting ties with Taiwan.
Instead of sticking with President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) “diplomatic truce” strategy, which hinges on China’s willingness to “give alms” to Taiwan by not luring away the nation’s diplomatic allies, the ministry should take steps to persuade the international community to recognize both Taiwan and China simultaneously, Tsai said.
“I would like to see the Holy See establish diplomatic ties with China as well, but on the condition that it does not sever relations with Taiwan,” Tsai said.
Lin said he disagreed with Tsai’s statement that the nation’s diplomatic relationships with the 22 countries were dependent on Beijing’s “almsgiving” to Taiwan.
“I cannot accept such a characterization. The ministry has been working hard to maintain the status of Taiwan and its dignity,” Lin said.
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