Hoping for trade deal, Taiwan to ease standards for U.S. pork, beef
Taipei, Aug. 28 (CNA) President Tsai Ing-wen announced Friday that Taiwan will set standards for a controversial feed additive in imported pork and ease restrictions on American beef in an apparent attempt to pave the way to broker a trade deal with the United States.
Tsai said at a press conference that Taiwan will set standards for ractopamine residue in imported pork despite her Democratic Progressive Party’s long insistence on a zero tolerance policy toward the leanness-promoting additive.
She said she has instructed government agencies to set a “safety tolerance” level for ractopamine residue in imported pork based on scientific evidence and international standards, on the precondition that the public’s health is protected.
Taiwan will also open its market to U.S. beef from cattle aged over 30 months, which has been barred because of fears of mad-cow disease, according to Tsai.
Tsai said she made the decision after years of “cautious evaluation” by the government on what she described as a long-existing problem of pork and beef imports from the U.S.
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