Ting Yi-ming (丁怡銘) has resigned as Executive Yuan spokesman after wrongly claiming that an award-winning beef noodle soup restaurant serves meat that contains ractopamine.
Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) late on Sunday approved Ting’s resignation with immediate effect, Executive Yuan Secretary-General Li Meng-yen (李孟諺) said yesterday.
Li has been assigned by Su to temporarily fill Ting’s post.
Photo: Chen Wei-tzu, Taipei Times
Ting said that he resigned to take responsibility for trouble caused by his comments last week.
Ting, at a news conference held following the Executive Yuan’s weekly meeting on Thursday, said that the winner in this year’s Taipei International Beef Noodle Festival uses imported US beef containing the leanness enhancer.
The restaurant quickly responded by posting on Facebook a copy of its SGS certification showing that no ractopamine residue was found in its beef.
Ting subsequently walked back the comments, apologized to the restaurant “for any trouble caused” and reiterated that any imported beef which meets Codex Alimentarius Commission standards is safe for consumption.
The statement was condemned by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), which accused Ting of spreading false information as a government spokesman and called on him to resign.
Separately yesterday, KMT Taipei City Councilor Wang Hung-wei (王鴻薇), New Party Taipei City Councilor Ho Han-ting (侯漢廷) and KMT Taichung City Councilor Lo Ting-wei (羅廷瑋) filed charges against Ting at the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office, accusing him of breaching the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation (食品安全衛生管理法), which states that people who intentionally spread false information about food safety issues that incurs damage to the public or another person face a maximum prison term of three years or a fine of NT$1 million (US$34,710).
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
COOLING OFF: Temperatures are expected to fall to lows of about 20°C on Sunday and possibly 18°C to 19°C next week, following a wave of northeasterly winds on Friday The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Sunday forecast more rain and cooler temperatures for northern Taiwan this week, with the mercury dropping to lows of 18°C, as another wave of northeasterly winds sweeps across the country. The current northeasterly winds would continue to affect Taiwan through today, with precipitation peaking today, bringing increased rainfall to windward areas, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said. The weather system would weaken slightly tomorrow before another, stronger wave arrives on Friday, lasting into next week, Liu said. From yesterday to today, northern Taiwan can expect cool, wet weather, with lows of 22°C to 23°C in most areas,
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
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