MOFA confirms separate treatment of US beef, pork

The ROC Ministry of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed June 14 that separate permits will be issued for U.S. pork and beef if meat containing traces of leanness enhancers such as ractopamine is allowed into Taiwan.

MOFA deputy spokesman Steve Hsia made the comments at a news conference following media reports that members of the U.S. Congress, including Reps. Denny Rehberg of Montana and Ron Kind of Wisconsin, recently sent a letter to the administration of President Barack Obama urging it to put pressure on Taipei for what they called its unfair penalization of U.S. hog farmers.

The Executive Yuan clearly laid out a set of principles on the issue in March, “allowing a safe level of ractopamine in beef, issuing separate permits for beef and pork, requiring labeling of U.S. beef and prohibiting imports of internal organs,” Hsia explained.

According to Hsia, American Institute in Taiwan Director William A. Stanton said March 8 that he understood the ROC government’s position regarding separating U.S. beef and pork.

The ROC government also said at the time that U.S. pork “is not a problem,” he added. (SB-THN)