Premier Su Tseng-chang is criticizing Taiwan’s main opposition party for its stance on pork imports containing the chemical ractopamine.
Ractopamine is an additive placed in animal feed to promote leanness. The use of ractopamine is banned in Taiwan, but since the beginning of the year, the government has allowed the importation of foreign pork containing the additive.
That decision has eased trade friction between Taiwan and the US, where the use of ractopamine is allowed. But it has been controversial in Taiwan, where many consumers remain unconvinced that ractopamine is safe for human consumption.
This controversy has turned political, and voters will be asked in a December referendum whether imports of ractopamine-treated pork should be banned once again.
The opposition KMT has been particularly vocal in objecting to the government’s pork import policy, citing public opinion. But Premier Su Tseng-chang says that the party should instead consider the national interest.
He says that at stake is Taiwan’s bid to join the CPTPP, a trade bloc made up of eleven Asia-Pacific economies. Though the United States is not among these countries, Su says that all eleven countries that are in the trade bloc allow the import of ractopamine-treated pork.
Su said that if Taiwan does not respect international trade norms, it will be difficult for Taiwan to join trade blocs like the CPTPP.
Su also criticized the KMT for having previously allowed the importation of ractopamine-treated beef in 2012, when it controlled the legislature.