VOTE OF CONFIDENCE: Vietnam has asked Taiwan to help test antibodies from infected pigs, showing that it has less trust in China’s ability to tackle diseases
Taipei Times
Date: Apr 05, 2019
By: Lin Chia-nan / Staff reporter
Taiwan has not yet received an invitation to the World Organisation for Animal Health’s
Pigs are seen in a holding pen at a New Taipei City pig farm on March 3 during a visit to the farm by staff from the African Swine Fever New Taipei City Disaster Response Center.Photo: Chen Hsin-yu, Taipei Times
(OIE) regional conference on African swine fever that is to take place in Beijing on Monday, but Vietnam is seeking the nation’s help in testing the virus, the Council of Agriculture said yesterday.
The highly contagious disease has not been found in Taiwan, but the government has been implementing preventive measures since China first reported an outbreak on Aug. 3 last year, followed by Vietnam on Feb. 20 and Cambodia on Wednesday.
Although Taiwan is an OIE member, China, as the conference’s host nation can decide which nations to invite, council Deputy Minister Huang Chin-cheng (黃金城) said.
The council on Wednesday wrote to the OIE to request permission to participate, but has not yet received a response, he said, adding that it is no stranger to Beijing’s “petty actions.” [FULL STORY]
