U.S. beef row to be solved through TIFA: economics official

Taiwan will continue to communicate with the United States on a row over beef imports through bilateral consultation channels and talks under the trade and investment framework agreement (TIFA), Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs Lin Sheng-chung said Friday.

Lin, who headed a Taiwan delegation to Geneva to attend a World Trade Organization trade policy review (TPR) meeting July 5 and July 7, made the remarks upon his return.

Taiwan and the United States had been scheduled to hold TIFA talks in Taipei early this year, but because of the disagreement over U.S. beef, the negotiations were delayed.

Since the two countries severed formal diplomatic ties in 1979, the TIFA talks have provided a significant official channel for Taiwan-U.S. dialogue on trade and economic issues after the agreement was signed in September 1994.

Lin said that the United States asked about Taiwan's imports of U.S. beef during the TPR meeting, saying that Taiwan's ban on U.S. beef offal violated a bilateral trade pact and contradicted World Organization for Animal Health information.

The U.S. delegate also raised questions about Taiwan's ban on U.S. pig imports because of ractopamine, a drug that is used as a feed additive to promote leanness in pigs raised for their meat.

A Ministry of Economic Affairs official said that he is "not surprised" that the U.S. raised questions about U.S. beef imports.

Taiwan struck a deal with the U.S. last October, agreeing to lift import bans on U.S. bone-in beef and bovine offal. The deal sparked strong opposition in Taiwan, prompting the Legislative Yuan to pass legal amendments barring imports of U.S. ground beef and bovine offal because of concerns over mad cow disease.