December 1, 2010

Taiwan's curbs on US beef could complicate trade
 

Taiwan's restrictions on the imports of certain US beef products could complicate bilateral trade between both countries, said Raymond Burghardt, chairman of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), on Tuesday (Nov 30)

Burghardt added that the Taiwanese government should not let the dispute become an obstacle for reinvigorating the TIFA (Trade and Investment Framework Agreement) talks.

"We still have a number of concerns about Taiwan's restrictions on the import of certain US beef and beef products as well as unnecessarily burdensome import and quarantine measures," said Burghardt.

Taiwan's own risk assessment had determined that US beef is safe. However, the restrictions were implemented on Taiwan's side despite a bilateral agreement last October on a protocol on beef with Washington, he added.

"Taiwan's failure to implement this bilateral agreement has complicated our trade relationship by calling into question Taiwan's reliability and credibility as a negotiating partner," he said.

However, the visiting senior US diplomat also noted that Taiwan and US have important trade and investment agendas and the two sides will continue to work together to reinvigorate the TIFA talks in the near future.

The AIT official arrived in Taiwan on Monday (Nov 29). This is his ninth trip to Taiwan since his appointment as AIT's Chairman in February 2006.

It was reported that the AIT senior official's visit could bring developments on the US side regarding the TIFA talks.

The talks were suspended in 2007 after Taiwan prohibited the import of US beef over fears that it could cause Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, an incurable and fatal neurological disorder caused by certain cattle.

Taiwan later agreed in a protocol last October to lift a ban on US bone-in beef and other beef products. The ban had been in place since 2003, when mad cow disease was reported in the US and has been partially lifted at intervals since then.

Amid public concern that some of the products allowed under the October protocol could pose a health risk to consumers, the Legislative Yuan passed a bill in January that barred the import of ground beef, offal, and other beef parts such as skulls, brains, eyes, and spines.