Reneging on beef opening would hurt US support for Taiwan
Taiwan News | 2009-12-25
Reneging on beef opening would hurt U.S. support for Taiwan
Central News Agency
A top national security official yesterday urged lawmakers and the public not to demand a reopening of talks with the United States on controversial beef imports, warning that reneging on an agreement to lift a ban on the imports would hurt relations.
National Security Council (NSC) Secretary-General Su Chi said Taiwanese people should take into account Taiwan’s limited role in the international community when considering how to approach this issue.
Taiwan needs the support of the United States, its biggest ally, in its participation in international organizations and if Taiwan violates a recently-reached protocol on the import of U.S. beef, it is likely to see the U.S. and its lawmakers hold back their support for the island, said Su.
Su noted that the U.S. Congress attaches great importance to the issue as 70 percent of the U.S. congressional leaders are from agricultural states. U.S. Congress is also a long-time major force backing Taiwan, Su added.
In addition, "there has been no progress in the economic relationship between Taiwan and the U.S. in the past 10 years despite improvements in the political relations" since President Ma Ying-jeou took office in May last year, Su said.
Going back on Taiwan’s agreement to lift the ban on U.S. beef products previously restricted could continue to put on hold long-stalled talks between the two sides on the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) , double taxation, intellectual property rights and energy and environmental cooperation, Su warned.
Nonetheless, Su said that he will "respect the final decision by the legislature" and "the people’s right to initiate a referendum on the issue."
He, nevertheless, urged the legislature not to amend any law to deal with the matter, saying that the current control measures are enough to safeguard the public’s health.
If the referendum on renegotiating the issue passes, Su said he will "abide by" the decision.
Su made the remarks at his first press conference since he took the post in May last year.
Taiwan’s government agreed to lift a ban on imports of U.S. bone-in beef and certain other beef products in late October, leading to widespread criticisms and concerns about public health due to fears of mad cow disease. The government has organized a series of press conferences, - by the Department of Heath, the Ministry of Economic Affairs, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, respectively - since Dec. 22 to clarify its policy on U.S. beef.
Ruling and opposition lawmakers have both proposed their versions of the draft amendments to the Act Governing Food Sanitation in face of growing pressure from the public. They may reach a consensus on Dec. 29.
Su yesterday also clarified that Taiwan and the U.S. could hold a meeting to review the beef import agreement "within, " not "in, "180 days after Taiwan’s government decided to allow the U. S. beef products into the island, as stipulated in the pact. But Su did not elaborate on that.
