Politics

ROC lawmakers urge resumption of TIFA talks

KMT lawmakers leave the AIT’s Taipei office May 29 after meeting Director William Stanton and urging him to resume TIFA talks. (CNA)

• Publication Date：05/30/2012
• Source： Taiwan Today
• By  Rachel Chan

A group of ruling Kuomintang lawmakers met with the top U.S. representative in Taiwan May 29, urging the resumption of talks under the Taiwan-U.S. Trade and Investment Framework Agreement.

“It is of paramount importance for Taiwan to maintain robust economic and trade relations with the U.S., our third largest trade partner and No. 1 source of foreign investment and technology,” said Lin Hung-chih, director of the KMT Central Policy Committee.

Lin’s remarks follow a meeting with William Stanton, director of the American Institute in Taiwan’s Taipei office. Also present were caucus whip Hsu Yao-chang, his deputy Wu Yu-sheng, and lawmaker Lin Yu-fang.

“We hope to see Taipei and Washington make progress on resuming TIFA talks while striving to resolve the simmering beef dispute,” Lin said.

TIFA talks have been suspended since early last year largely as a result of the government’s decision to ban imports containing leanness-enhancing feed additives such as ractopamine.

The government’s proposed new policy allows a safe level of ractopamine residues in beef imports and requires clear labeling of meat product origins. This approach, however, still bans imports of internal organs from cattle and pork containing ractopamine.

In response, Stanton said the U.S. values its relations with Taiwan and views the beef issue as the only “stumbling block” in bilateral trade.

Overcoming this hurdle will help get TIFA talks under way, Stanton said, adding that it will also improve Taiwan-U.S. relations.

Separately, an ROC Council of Agriculture team wrapped up a 23-day inspection tour of American cattle ranches, slaughterhouses and processing facilities May 28, declaring U.S. beef exports to Taiwan as “safe.”

Write to Rachel Chan at ccchan@mofa.gov.tw