Taiwan Today

The government officially announced the relaxation of U.S. beef imports Nov. 2, at the same time proclaiming strict measures would be enforced to prevent ground beef and internal organs from entering Taiwan. At a joint news conference at the Government Information Office, the Department of Health, Council of Agriculture and Ministry of Economic Affairs explained the bone-in beef import policy and how administrative and technical measures would be used to rule out the importation of U.S. ground beef, as well as tongue and other internal organs. The measures take the form of eight DOH regulations for the inspection of imported beef and source-labeling by restaurants serving beef. These regulations state that since the United States Department of Agriculture has not issued quality system assessment certification for ground beef, ROC trade authorities will not authorize import licenses for it. Under these terms, ground beef is unlikely to enter the Taiwan market. The regulations also stipulate that the government may thaw and inspect imported internal organs and tongues to prevent the inclusion of “specified risk materials.” The DOH said that this measure is viewed as a technical impediment to the import of the potentially risky internal organs, brains, spinal cords, eyes and skulls, because they lose their freshness after thawing and thus cannot be marketed. In addition, Health Minister Yaung Chih-liang said the relaxed import rules allow only products from cattle under 30 months old, and entirely prohibit tonsils and the distal ileum of the small intestine, as specified risk materials. With regard to quality control, Yaung said the government would also demand documentation on the number of cattle involved and proof they were all under 30 months of age, and even videos of their inspection. Minister of Economic Affairs Shih Yen-shiang said the United States is Taiwan’s most important ally, and Taiwan-U.S. relations are crucial to the nation’s safety, stability and development. As Washington places great importance on the beef issue, relaxing import restrictions is a step forward in improving bilateral ties and will help Taiwan gain ground on economic and trade issues. In conjunction with improvement in cross-strait economic relations, it will also pave the way for developments in Taiwan’s future safety and foreign trade links. The economic minister said that Taiwan of course desires the resumption of trade and investment framework agreement talks with the U.S. as soon as possible, but there were no trade-offs in the beef negotiations. There is, however, no timetable for the holding of such talks at the deputy minister level, Shih said. As to opposition proposals for renegotiation of the beef protocol, GIO Minister Su Jun-pin said the government has no plans to reopen the talks as Taiwan’s international credibility would be challenged. Council of Agriculture Minister Chen Wu-hsiung also added that according to past experience, renegotiation normally leads to a worse deal. (THN)