Focus Taiwan
Date: 10/29/2020
By Wang Yang-yu, Chang Ming-hsuan,
Chiang Yi-ching and Christie Chen

Taipei, Oct. 29 (CNA) Taiwan's health and agriculture chiefs on Thursday engaged in a spat with Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) over whether countries other than the United States will also be allowed to export pork containing ractopamine to Taiwan under a recently amended administrative directive.

The controversy started Wednesday, when Ko criticized the Democratic Progressive Party administration for amending regulations to allow countries around the world to export pork containing the controversial veterinary drug ractopamine to Taiwan.

He said the administration has yet to clarify whether the relaxed regulations would apply only to the United States, or other countries as well.

President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Aug. 28 announced that Taiwan would open its doors to imports of U.S. beef from cattle aged over 30 months and imported pork with acceptable levels of ractopamine residue. The new policy, which will take effect on Jan. 1, 2021, is widely considered an effort to satisfy U.S. requirements for a bilateral trade deal.    [FULL  STORY]