President Tsai Ing-wen has announced that Taiwan will relax its ban on US pork containing ractopamine and its ban on US beef from cattle over 30 months old.
Tsai said that after several years of evaluation, she has decided to allow a safe level of the leanness enhancer ractopamine in imported pork. She said this decision has been made on the basis of scientific evidence and international standards. Tsai also decided to relax a ban on the importation of US beef from cattle above 30 months old for the sake of national economic interests. She said the move is consistent with Taiwan’s overall strategic goals.
Taiwan issued a ban on US beef products after a case of mad cow disease in the US during 2003. The ban was conditionally lifted in 2006, with imports limited to beef from cattle under 30 months old.
Trade negotiations between Taiwan and the US have been stalled for years over the issue of US meat products. Tsai’s announcement Friday of a change in policy towards imports of US meat products may signal the lifting of a significant stumbling block in bilateral trade talks.