VP Wu: Tsai to Be Held Accountable If Ban Lifted on US Pork Imports

VP Wu: Tsai to Be Held Accountable If Ban Lifted on US Pork Imports

Source: China Times

April 25, 2016

Vice President Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) yesterday denounced President-elect Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) for not caring about citizens’ health. Wu noted that when Tsai was Deputy Premier, she failed to impose a ban on US beef when an outbreak of mad cow disease occurred in the US. According to Wu, it is now even more challenging for Tsai to lift the ban on US pork imports containing ractopamine residue as “people will hold her accountable.”

In response, the DPP retorted that when Wu was Premier, he was the one who allowed US beef to be imported from areas where mad cow disease had occurred without regard for the safety and health of people in Taiwan.

Wu noted that when Tsai visited the US as DPP Chairperson and Presidential candidate last year, the media reported that she had promised the US in private to open Taiwan’s market to US pork containing ractopamine residue, adding that other Presidential candidates had raised this issue up during the campaign. Wu said, “You must have heard of this. Now the truth has finally come to light.”

Concerning whether the incoming DPP government would allow US pork imports containing ractopamine residue, DPP spokesperson Yang Chia-liang (楊家俍) stated that Tsai’s attitude was very clear and it was too early to assume anything as negotiations had yet to be started. However, Yang said that Wu’s accusation was malicious and irresponsible, so it should be denounced.

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