The government is redoubling its efforts to keep African swine fever out of Taiwan as the busy Lunar New Year travel season approaches.
African swine fever is a disease that does not affect humans, but is fatal to pigs. The disease has spread to a number of Asian countries. If accidentally introduced to Taiwan, it would devastate Taiwan’s sizable pork industry.
Large numbers of travelers set to enter Taiwan during the Lunar New Year rush, and officials are determined to make sure no meat products come in with them.
On Thursday, the Council of Agriculture presented a report on preparations for the travel rush at the Cabinet. After hearing the report, Premier Su Tseng-chang said that inspectors will face the challenge of inspecting all incoming luggage during the holiday season.
Su also said that if efforts to keep the disease out fail, anyone found to have been negligent in their duties will be punished in accordance with the law.
Su also said that e-commerce platforms will also face punishment for shipping meat products to Taiwan. He said that overseas platforms that ignore Taiwan’s laws should be barred from access to Taiwan.