The controversy over the government’s relaxation of restrictions on US beef imports is expected to linger a little longer on the legislative floor after the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday rejected the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus’ latest attempt to amend legislation to address perceived flaws in the Taiwan-US import protocol.
On Friday, the KMT and the DPP caucuses agreed to settle their disagreement on making a ban on US ground beef and bovine offal part of the Act Governing Food Sanitation (食品衛生管理法) by tomorrow.
“Contrary to what it promised, the KMT’s latest draft amendment will not block imports of US ground beef and bovine offal. The KMT was lying,” DPP legislative caucus whip Wang Sing-nan (王幸男) told a press conference.
The DPP has been demanding that the KMT revisit the conclusion reached during cross-party talks that the Act should be amended to statutorily prohibit such imports.
Under the protocol reached with Washington, US bone-in beef, ground beef, intestines, brains, spinal cords and processed beef from cattle younger than 30 months that have not been contaminated with “specific risk materials” are allowed to enter the country.
Rebutting the DPP’s claims, KMT legislative caucus whip Lu Hsueh-chang (呂學樟) said the KMT’s latest version would effectively block imports of risky products.
The KMT’s latest proposal says beef products imported from areas where mad cow disease has been reported in the past 10 years should be thawed and pass batch-by-batch inspections before being allowed into the country.
“With such a procedure in place, we expect that importers will be extremely reluctant to import such products, as they will risk losing money. The thawing and inspection measures will increase their warehousing costs and lead to deterioration of the products’ quality,” Lu said.
In related news, the legislature yesterday approved an amendment to the Trade Act (貿易法) to bring regulations on imports of strategic high-tech commodities and endangered animals in line with international norms, as well as the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.
The legislature also approved an amendment to the Criminal Code (刑法) that would allow people sentenced for minor crimes to convert the prison sentence to a fine or community service.
The amendment came after the Council of Grand Justices handed down an interpretation finding regulations prohibiting such conversions unconstitutional.
Lawmakers also approved an amendment to the Tax Collection Act (稅捐稽徵法), which had required the government to stipulate an expiry date for tax breaks when they are implemented.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
RSS