TIFA Talk Between U.S. and Taiwan Hinges on Import of U.S. Beef

Taipei, Feb. 2, 2012 (CENS)--The major barrier to the talk on the Taiwan-U.S. Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) is the import of U.S. beef, which is an inescapable issue and should be solved at an earlier time, especially in view of Taiwan's attempt to actively take part in regional economic integration, said Shih Yen-shiang, economics minister, yesterday (Feb. 1).

During his ongoing visit to Taiwan, Raymond F. Burghardt, chairman of American Institute in Taiwan, has explicitly linked U.S. beef import with the resumption of TIFA talk. Shih Yen-shiang confirmed that Burghardt has held an official discussion on the U.S. beef import issue with Liang Kuo-hsin, vice economics minister and chief representative of the Office of Trade Negotiations, under the MOEA, as well as representatives of the Council of Agriculture and other related agencies.

Shih noted that the solution of the U.S. beef import involves the Council of Agriculture and the Department of Health. It also needs to win the support of the public.

Shih pointed out that active participation in regional economic integration is a major task of the economics ministry in the future. The ministry will continue engaging in trade talk with Singapore, New Zealand, and mainland China this year. In addition, it will also begin to contact the Philippines and Israel for the initiation of trade talk.

The talk on economic and trade agreement between Taiwan and Singapore, dubbed ASTEP, has entered the concluding stage. Meanwhile, Taiwan and New Zealand are studying the feasibility of signing an economic cooperation agreement.

The talk on TIFA between Taiwan and U.S. was scheduled to be resumed in January last year, after three years of suspension. The meeting, however, was abruptly canceled by the U.S., due to the ban on U.S. beef on the problem of ractopamine, contained in U.S. beef.