Radio Taiwan International
Date: 31 August, 2020
By: Katherine Wei

President Tsai Ing-wen announced last week that Taiwan will relax its ban on meat imports from the US.[/caption] President Tsai Ing-wen announced last week that Taiwan will relax its ban on meat imports from the US. The announcement drew immediate backlash from the KMT and some worried pig farmers. But this issue isn’t a new one in Taiwan. 

Previous administrations have tried to make changes to meat import policies, only to face similar criticism.

Debates over Taiwan’s policy on imported meat have always been rooted in politics. Many say they don’t want leanness-enhancing additives in their pork, and others say they worry about mad-cow disease. But then, there are also Taiwan’s trade ties with the US to consider.

Though food safety concerns are a priority, ruling and opposition parties have also fought endlessly about imports of US beef and pork over successive administrations. Might doing so keep Taiwan-US relations stable, or even boost Taiwan’s trade advantages?   [FULL  STORY]