Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers yesterday pelted Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) with pig skin and entrails as he addressed the Legislative Yuan on pork imports for the first time since the KMT’s boycott began on Sept. 18.
Opposition lawmakers have been demanding an apology from the government for its decision to lift its ban on the importation of US pork containing residues of the livestock drug ractopamine.
After Su arrived at 10am for his 13th attempt to deliver a regular policy report, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus moved to change the agenda to accommodate the premier.
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
The motion resulted in cries of dissent from across the aisle, as KMT Chairman Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) protested that Legislative Speaker You Si-kun (游錫堃) was rushing to a vote without addressing the KMT’s objection.
After the motion passed, Su took the podium at 10:20am surrounded by DPP lawmakers. KMT legislators attempted to drown him out with whistles and air horns, dumping buckets of pig skin and offal on the podium and the floor.
In his five-minute report, Su said that the government would continue its efforts to protect food safety in Taiwan with the same diligence applied to dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and previously with African swine fever.
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
There are to be on-site inspections at US meat factories, clear labeling of the products and strict enforcement of the regulations, he said.
Taiwan must open up to the international community and connect with the global economic network, Su said, adding that the US is Taiwan’s most powerful ally.
While Su gave his report, scuffles broke out between KMT lawmakers dressed in black shirts that read: “Oppose ractopamine pork, consider health,” and DPP representatives.
Photo: Ann Wang, Reuters
At one point, KMT Legislator Sra Kacaw (鄭天財) was knocked over by Taiwan Statebuilding Party Legislator Chen Po-wei (陳柏惟) when he bent over to grab a garbage bag. KMT caucus whip Lin Wei-chou (林為洲) and others leaped forward to drag Chen away by the neck, causing a scuffle to erupt that was quelled by DPP lawmakers.
Sra Kacaw later said that he was not shoved over, although Chen should not have pushed him.
The legislative floor was also dotted with placards from both sides, with slogans such as “Oppose ractopamine pork — not US pork” and “Much ado about nothing.”
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
Afterward, Lin, Chiang and other KMT lawmakers convened a news conference outside the legislative chamber to apologize for the events of the morning while defending their actions.
Lin apologized for the KMT caucus’ use of pig entrails, saying that it was meant to emphasize that US offal containing ractopamine would be imported to Taiwan, as the US rarely utilizes these parts.
At the very least, the caucus is calling for complete factory inspections and clear labeling, he added.
Chiang said that the day’s proceedings were deeply flawed, from before the start of the session to You’s handling of legislative procedures, adding that Su never should have been allowed to take the podium.
“President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) keeps claiming that this is for the nation’s benefit, but is public health not in the nation’s interest?” Chiang asked.
DPP lawmakers convened their own news conference shortly thereafter, accusing the KMT of losing their minds to factionalism.
The KMT in its calculations is no longer thinking about the country or the functioning of the legislature, DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) said.
Under Chiang’s stewardship, instead of considering how to question the premier or ministers, the KMT is only concerned with how to destroy the legislative forum, Ker added.
The DPP called on its counterparts across the aisle to turn around its behavior or risk forever relegating itself to the status of opposition party.
Additional reporting by Huang Hsin-po and CNA
‘CROWN JEWEL’: Washington ‘can delay and deter’ Chinese President Xi Jinping’s plans for Taiwan, but it is ‘a very delicate situation there,’ the secretary of state said US President Donald Trump is opposed to any change to Taiwan’s “status quo” by force or extortion and would maintain that policy, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the Hugh Hewitt Show host on Wednesday. The US’ policy is to maintain Taiwan’s “status quo” and to oppose any changes in the situation by force or extortion, Rubio said. Hewitt asked Rubio about the significance of Trump earlier this month speaking with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (台積電) chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) at the White House, a meeting that Hewitt described as a “big deal.” Asked whether the meeting was an indication of the
‘RELATIVELY STRONG LANGUAGE’: An expert said the state department has not softened its language on China and was ‘probably a little more Taiwan supportive’ China’s latest drills near Taiwan on Monday were “brazen and irresponsible threats,” a US Department of State spokesperson said on Tuesday, while reiterating Washington’s decades-long support of Taipei. “China cannot credibly claim to be a ‘force for stability in a turbulent world’ while issuing brazen and irresponsible threats toward Taiwan,” the unnamed spokesperson said in an e-mailed response to media queries. Washington’s enduring commitment to Taiwan will continue as it has for 45 years and the US “will continue to support Taiwan in the face of China’s military, economic, informational and diplomatic pressure campaign,” the e-mail said. “Alongside our international partners, we firmly
KAOHSIUNG CEREMONY: The contract chipmaker is planning to build 5 fabs in the southern city to gradually expand its 2-nanometer chip capacity Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電), the world’s biggest contract chipmaker, yesterday confirmed that it plans to hold a ceremony on March 31 to unveil a capacity expansion plan for its most advanced 2-nanometer chips in Kaohsiung, demonstrating its commitment to further investment at home. The ceremony is to be hosted by TSMC cochief operating officer Y.P. Chyn (秦永沛). It did not disclose whether Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) and high-ranking government officials would attend the ceremony. More details are to be released next week, it said. The chipmaker’s latest move came after its announcement earlier this month of an additional US$100 billion
COUNTERING THE PLA: While the US should reinforce its relations with partners and allies, Taiwan must invest in strengthening its defenses as well, Phillip Davidson said If influence in the Indo-Pacific region is one of the US’ core interests, then Taiwan serves as a cornerstone of US economic and security influence in the region, former US Indo-Pacific Command commander admiral Phillip Davidson said on Thursday. “China’s ... strategy is to supplant the US leadership role in the international order ... and they’ve long said ... that they intend to do that by 2050,” Davidson told the National Review Institute’s Ideas Summit in Washington. Davidson said he had previously told US Senate hearings on China’s military activities and possible threats in the Indo-Pacific region that a Chinese invasion of
RSS