Taiwan to import problematic US pork

▶ Washington to feed back nothing but illusory promise: experts

The legislative body on the island of Taiwan, dominated by the secessionist Democratic Progressive Party ( DPP), on Thursday approved nine acts related to the importation of ractopamine- enhanced pork from the US, amid strong dissent from more than 70 percent of the island’s residents and a brawl from opposition parties.

Observers from the Chinese mainland and Taiwan believe that what the pro- secessionist DDP is obtaining from the US is nothing but an illusory promise and short- term psychological comfort at the expense of the health of the island’s 20 million people.

The result does not come as a surprise to Taiwan residents and local politicians as the DPP, which occupies 62 of the total 113 seats, has ordered all its members to press the “yes” button when it comes to executive orders related to the importation of problematic pork from the US, media reported.

The island of Taiwan is expected to lift restrictions on problematic US pork from January 2021. Relevant policies have caused great waves of social disputes on food safety, local pig industries and Taiwan’s “international dilemma,” since the DPP authorities first announced their decision in late August.

In a recent poll launched by Taiwan- based media ETtoday, over 75 percent of Taiwan residents are concerned about their safety consuming problematic US meat; 58.6 percent of them expressed that they feel it is unacceptable to further deepen economic ties with the US by allowing the importation of ractopamine- enhanced pork.

Chiu Yi, a former “lawmaker” in Taiwan and a Taiwanbased pro- reunification scholar, told the Global Times that pushing imports of problematic US pork despite local dissent showed the diehard Taiwan secessionist leader Tsai Ing- wen’s desperation as she has no other choice but to deeply rely on the US to confront the Chinese mainland.

Huang Chih- hsien, an expert on cross- Straits relations and a TV commentator from Taiwan, said that the mainland should be on alert that the US would pressure it in trade talks through ractopamine- enhanced pork, given that Japan, South Korea and the island of Taiwan agreed to open imports, while the mainland still says no. “Taiwan residents may have to wait until reunification before they stop consuming ractopamine- enhanced pork.”

Taiwan residents may have to wait until reunification before they stop consuming problematic pork that is imported from the United States.