An abrupt deviation by the Taichung City Government from arrangements made with the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) demonstrated a lack of respect and could result in global mistrust of Taiwan, Executive Yuan Secretary-General Li Meng-yen (李孟諺) said yesterday.
The Taichung City Government on Wednesday allegedly did not confer with AIT Director Brent Christensen before turning a closed-door meeting into a public briefing — especially as it included a severe critique of US pork imports.
Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) told Christensen in plain terms that she is opposed to the importation of US pork with traces of ractopamine.
Photo: Chang Hsuan-che, Taipei Times
The event sparked a response from the AIT, the first from the de facto US embassy since President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) first announced that Taiwan had approved the lessening of restrictions on US pork imports with traces of ractopamine.
AIT spokeswoman Amanda Mansour said in a statement that all US exports to Taiwan and other trade partners “are safe and meet the same high, evidence-based standards” as pork consumed in the US.
“When political figures propagate disinformation and raise unfounded anxiety among Taiwan consumers, it is a disservice to everyone. We call on all parties to approach this issue responsibly and on the basis of science,” she said.
“The United States and Taiwan are partners in safety and partners in security. We are confident that our robust trade relationship will continue to be an important and mutually beneficial part of that partnership,” she said.
Li told a news conference in Taipei that interaction between the two nations should be based on parity, reciprocity and mutual trust, instead of sowing distrust by ambushing others.
The US is an important friend of Taiwan, with both sides maintaining close cooperation in regional security and trade matters, he said, adding that the partnership has become even closer since Tsai took office.
The Executive Yuan is in dialogue with local governments and would continue to work out differences between local governments and the central government on the issue, Li said.
Separately yesterday, Lu restated her objection to the importation of US pork containing traces of ractopamine, as she joined Taichung City Council Deputy Speaker Yen Li-min (顏莉敏), Councilor Lee Jung-hung (李榮鴻) and representatives from the ROC Swine Association to make a declaration opposing the importation of US pork with traces of ractopamine.
The AIT’s commentary on the issue should be given due respect, but it was her duty to safeguard residents’ safety, Lu said.
There are evidently concerns regarding the pork, as the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health and Welfare have each issued bans against the use of such pork in schools and medical facilities, Lu said, adding that the bans would not have imposed if there was no concern over such products.
Additional reporting by Chang Hsuan-che
SEPARATE: The MAC rebutted Beijing’s claim that Taiwan is China’s province, asserting that UN Resolution 2758 neither mentions Taiwan nor grants the PRC authority over it The “status quo” of democratic Taiwan and autocratic China not belonging to each other has long been recognized by the international community, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday in its rebuttal of Beijing’s claim that Taiwan can only be represented in the UN as “Taiwan, Province of China.” Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (王毅) yesterday at a news conference of the third session at the 14th National People’s Congress said that Taiwan can only be referred to as “Taiwan, Province of China” at the UN. Taiwan is an inseparable part of Chinese territory, which is not only history but
CROSSED A LINE: While entertainers working in China have made pro-China statements before, this time it seriously affected the nation’s security and interests, a source said The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) late on Saturday night condemned the comments of Taiwanese entertainers who reposted Chinese statements denigrating Taiwan’s sovereignty. The nation’s cross-strait affairs authority issued the statement after several Taiwanese entertainers, including Patty Hou (侯佩岑), Ouyang Nana (歐陽娜娜) and Michelle Chen (陳妍希), on Friday and Saturday shared on their respective Sina Weibo (微博) accounts a post by state broadcaster China Central Television. The post showed an image of a map of Taiwan along with the five stars of the Chinese flag, and the message: “Taiwan is never a country. It never was and never will be.” The post followed remarks
INVESTMENT WATCH: The US activity would not affect the firm’s investment in Taiwan, where 11 production lines would likely be completed this year, C.C. Wei said Investments by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) in the US should not be a cause for concern, but rather seen as the moment that the company and Taiwan stepped into the global spotlight, President William Lai (賴清德) told a news conference at the Presidential Office in Taipei yesterday alongside TSMC chairman and chief executive officer C.C. Wei (魏哲家). Wei and US President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday announced plans to invest US$100 billion in the US to build three advanced foundries, two packaging plants, and a research and development center, after Trump threatened to slap tariffs on chips made
CONSISTENT COMMITMENT: The American Institute in Taiwan director said that the US would expand investment and trade relationships to make both nations more prosperous The US would not abandon its commitment to Taiwan, and would make Taiwan safer, stronger and more prosperous, American Institute in Taiwan Director Raymond Greene said. “The US’ commitment to Taiwan has been consistent over many administrations and over many years, and we will not abandon our commitment to Taiwan, including our opposition to any attempt to use force or coercion to change Taiwan’s status,” he said in an exclusive interview with the Liberty Times (the sister newspaper of the Taipei Times) on Friday last week, which was published in the Chinese-language newspaper yesterday. The US would double down on its efforts
RSS