The government should be careful when conducting negotiations with Canada over beef imports to avoid stirring up another political storm such as the one over US beef imports, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said yesterday.
Speaking at a briefing, Department of North American Affairs Director-General Harry Tseng (曾厚仁) said talks with Canada on beef imports should be based on the policies laid out in the newly amended Act Governing Food Sanitation (食品衛生管理法), which allows the import of bone-in beef from cattle under 30 months old.
Canada refrained from initiating talks over the issue after watching the sticky situation between Taipei and Washington that brewed over US beef imports, he said, adding that the current request by Canada that Taiwan allow imports of bone-in beef under 30 months old does not violate the Act.
“But when Canada does pitch a formal proposal to launch talks on the issue, we should hold careful and thorough talks with them. Because Canada comes to the negotiation table in good faith, Taiwan as a responsible member of the international community, has no reason not to reciprocate the gesture,” he said.
Tseng said after the “lesson” that Taiwan learned from the quagmire over US beef imports, the government should be more careful in bilateral beef talks with Ottawa.
Tseng said beef imports and visa-waiver policies were two separate issues, but added that Taiwan could expect good news “very soon.”
Tseng said the discussion over extending Republic of Taiwan passport holders visa-free access to Canada was already in its final stage.
Meanwhile, four members of the US House of Representatives urged on Wednesday in a letter that the US Trade Representative suspend all trade talks with Taiwan until the row over beef is settled.
Tseng said Taiwan would continue to communicate with the four people, adding that Washington would most likely feel more confident about Taiwan’s beef market as the US exports more beef to Taiwan in the coming days.
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