IMPORTED MEAT:The KMT presidential candidate said that the imports of US pork would likely be a critical issue in talks for Taiwan to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership
Taipei Times
Date: Nov 12, 2015
By: Stacy Hsu / Staff reporter, with CNA
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Eric Chu (朱立倫) yesterday said he
would attach a high priority to public health and the stances of Taiwan’s neighboring trade partners on the issue of US pork imports.
Chu made the remarks at a news conference in Los Angeles on Tuesday afternoon, the first leg of his seven-day visit to the US.
“While the Taiwanese government has no preference as to which regional partnership to join first: the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) or the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, I personally think Taiwan’s entry to the TPP will happen sooner,” Chu said.
As the bilateral Trade and Investment Framework Agreement between Taipei and Washington is likely to play a major role in Taiwan’s attempts to join the TPP, the issue of US pork imports would most likely be put on the negotiating table in the process, Chu said. [FULL STORY]