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Updated Thursday, November 13, 2008 9:48 am TWN, By Erika Wang, The China Post



	Stephen M. Young, director of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), gestures during a press conference yesterday in Taipei City. Young said the United States welcomed the recent dialogue between Taiwan and China and regrets the violence that occurred during the visit of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS). (Akie Ang, The China Post) Enlarge Photo

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AIT chief regrets violence during ARATS chair visit

Referring to recent heightening of tensions between the Democratic Progressive Party and ruling Kuomintang, Young noted that “greater dialogue between the opposition and the government is warranted.”

“We encourage the pursuit of dialogue between the government here and the opposition on important issues like the strengthening of democracy, respect for differing opinions, and the future direction of cross-strait relations,” he said.

U.S. beef

The de facto U.S. ambassador in Taiwan also took the opportunity to call for Taiwan to make a “science-based” decision to resume imports of all U.S. beef and beef products. “As I understand it, Taiwan’s Department of Health has recently completed a risk assessment evaluation that I believe finds that U.S. beef products are fully safe and consistent with the standards of the organization OIE (World Organization for Animal Health),” said Young.

“We hope that Taiwan on this basis can soon open its market to all varieties of American beef, just as South Korea has done earlier this year,” he added.

Currently Taiwan only allows the import from the United States of certain U.S. beef products, namely boneless meat from cows under 30 months. Parts that carry a high risk of containing the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) disease (commonly known as “mad cow disease”) such as brains, spinal material, and certain bones, are banned.

U.S. Elections

The AIT head qualified last week’s U.S. presidential elections as a “very eventful” one in American politics, and its outcome “historic” as a “very able and talented” African-American was elected the United States’ 44th president.

“U.S.-Taiwan relations will remain strong and enduring under President Obama,” he said, adding that the U.S. President-elect is committed to continue the defense cooperation under the Taiwan Relations Act.

“We support Taiwan’s being able to contribute to international organizations and have its voice heard, even where membership is not permitted, and I think that president-elect Obama has made clear that he will continue to support that effort, including trying to get Taiwan observer status in WHO,” Young said.

U.S.-Taiwan relations

According to AIT, last year’s bilateral trade between the United States and its 9th largest trade partner Taiwan amounted to a record-high of US$64.7 billion, and this year through October it’s on track to set a new record.

Young said the United States continues to work with Taiwan on a broad agenda that includes the government procurement agreement under the World Trade Organization, e-commerce, exploring ways to strengthen investment climate, improving respect for intellectual property rights, fully opening the Taiwan market to U.S. agricultural products like beef, pork and rice, and working with Taiwan authorities in setting MRLs (maximum residue limits) for a variety of U.S. products.

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