Premier Chang San-cheng is calling on the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to make a convincing case for lifting Taiwan’s ban on US pork containing the banned drug ractopamine. Chang was speaking Saturday.
Ractopamine is a leanness-enhancing drug that is generally found in US beef and pork. Taiwan has been under pressure from Washington to lift the ban.
Chang’s comments came after incoming Agriculture Minister Tsao Chi-hung said that Taiwan cannot resist pressure to allow US pork in. Tsao will be taking over the role of agriculture minister on May 20, when the DPP returns to the presidency.
However, Chang said that other EU member countries also refuse to import US pork and that Taiwan is not the only country in the world that has imposed a ban.
Chang said that since President Ma Ying-jeou took office in 2008, the outgoing KMT administration has continued its policy of sticking to the ban despite pressure from the US.
Chang said that health is a universal right and that no country should force Taiwan to change policies simply because of its relative economic and political weakness.