Premier Mao Chi-kuo reiterates that Taiwan will not allow US pork with traces of ractopamine to enter Taiwan. Mao was speaking on Tuesday at the Legislature. Ractopamine is a leanness enhancing drug that Taiwan has banned. It is not confirmed yet however whether the drug is harmful to humans.
The precondition for Taiwan to enter the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is to lift the ban on US pork imports. That would be a threat to the local pork industry. The TPP is a US-led trade deal struck by 12 Pacific Rim countries in early October.
Mao said US pork imports is the biggest problem in the negotiation on Taiwan’s bid to join the TPP. He also said the government will stick to its policy of dealing with the import of US pork and beef products separately. The agriculture ministry said that currently the US pork imports that are allowed into Taiwan do not contain ractopamine. The government’s stance has not changed.