President Tsai Ing-wen says that Taiwan will use strict measures to manage food safety, as it gets ready to import food from Japan’s Fukushima area. Last week, Taiwan lifted an 11-year ban on food imports from Fukushima and neighboring areas. The ban was put in place after an earthquake and tsunami triggered a meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in 2011.
Easing restrictions on food imports from Fukushima comes after the government’s decision to lift a ban on US pork imports containing the feed additive ractopamine. Both policies have been part of the government’s efforts to remove trade barriers to help Taiwan’s bid to join regional trade pacts like the CPTPP. Tsai says the CPTPP has very high standards and Taiwan must amend its laws to conform with the trade pact. Taiwan applied to join the CPTPP last September.
Tsai also says there have been many changes to the global economy in the last few years. She says Taiwan’s COVID-19 containment and key role in the semiconductor industry has given it more visibility and importance in the global arena. Tsai says that she will continue working to increase Taiwan’s competitiveness and elevate its status in the world.