The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday urged the government to rescind its decision to allow imports of US pork containing traces of ractopamine, saying that the policy might not lead to a trade agreement.
President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Aug. 28 announced that from Jan. 1 Taiwan would set permissible residue levels of the animal feed additive in imported pork, and ease restrictions on imports of beef from US cattle aged 30 months or older.
The decision was “based on our national economic interests and consistent with our overall strategic goals for the future,” Tsai said at the time.
Photo: Chang Chia-ming, Taipei Times
KMT Culture and Communications Committee director-general Alicia Wang (王育敏) told a news conference in Taipei yesterday that US president-elect Joe Biden indicated in an interview that until the US solves its domestic labor, education and economic problems, it would not sign any new trade agreements with other countries.
In an interview with New York Times opinion columnist Thomas Friedman published on Wednesday last week, Biden said: “I’m not going to enter any new trade agreement with anybody until we have made major investments here at home and in our workers,” and in education.
Biden’s remarks mean that Taiwan might not be able to get a bilateral trade agreement or free-trade agreement in return for the meat imports regulatory changes, Wang said.
“If this is the case, we have to ask the Tsai administration ... will it still allow imports of ractopamine pork on Jan. 1 as scheduled?” Wang said, adding that the KMT wants Tsai to withdraw the decision.
Some Taiwanese had reluctantly accepted the ractopamine policy if it meant Taiwan would sign a trade deal with the US, she said, adding that the reality indicated that was not the case.
There is still time to reverse the decision, committee deputy director-general Lee Yong-ping (李永萍) said.
The Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) change of stance could at the time be explained by a possible tacit understanding between the Tsai administration and a US government led by Republican US President Donald Trump, Lee said.
However, Biden — a Democrat — is to be inaugurated on Jan. 20, she said.
The Republican and Democratic parties disagree on issues including trade, environmental protection, food safety and labor, she said.
“Is the US’ election of a new president, Biden, not a change in circumstances?” Lee asked, alluding to Tsai’s comment in her Aug. 28 speech that “circumstances have changed,” allowing Taiwan to “further open the market.”
It is unknown whether Biden’s administration would give Taiwan further support because of its changed policy on US pork imports, Lee said, adding that the DPP government should cancel the plan.
‘LOW PROBABILITY’: China still ‘has a ways to go to develop the actual, no-kidding capability’ to seize Taiwan militarily, US General Mark Milley said The US’ top general on Thursday downplayed concern that China would attempt a military takeover of Taiwan in the near term, saying Beijing does not have the capability to do so. While there has been rising concern in Taiwan and among US lawmakers about Chinese military activity near Taiwan, such as flying jets in Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ), US military officials said that such moves are not overly concerning. US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley told lawmakers that while Taiwan was still a core national interest of China, “there’s little intent right now, or motivation,
A Kaohsiung woman who thought that she was dating Hollywood actor Keanu Reeves was found not guilty of abetting fraud, the Kaohsiung District Court has ruled. Citing insufficient evidence to prove intent, the court on May 27 dismissed fraud and money-laundering charges against the woman, surnamed Chang (張), saying that the evidence suggested that she had been duped. The verdict can be appealed. The verdict said that police opened an investigation into Chang after her bank account was linked to an online catfishing scheme, which involves luring someone into a relationship by using a fictional online persona. The scheme claimed two victims, including a
The Canadian House of Commons on Thursday unanimously passed the first reading of a proposal to create a legal framework for efforts to strengthen relations with Taiwan. The Canada-Taiwan Relations Framework Act was introduced by Canadian Member of Parliament Michael Cooper, who said that not having a formal diplomatic relationship with Taiwan has complicated interactions between the two nations. Taiwan is one of Canada’s largest trading partners, and the two share strong people-to-people links and common values, he said. Taiwan “is a vibrant economy and one of the world’s top 20 economies. It is time Canada’s relations with Taiwan reflect
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers yesterday condemned Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) Institute of Revolutionary Practice director Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強) for calling the government a “vaccine beggar” for receiving a donation of COVID-19 vaccines from the US. “Lo is still living in feudal China,” DPP Legislator Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) told a news conference. “When Taiwan needs unity, he uses malicious words to malign our president’s character and Taiwan’s national integrity. This person is either evil or he is completely ignorant,” she said. Taiwan donated 2 million masks to the US, and provided 2 million masks and 50,000 protective gowns to Japan when they
RSS