Taiwan expected to honor beef trade pact

Burghardt called on Legislative Yuan Speaker Wang Jin-pyng in the morning as part of a mission to brief leaders here about American policies following U.S. President Barack Obama's Nov. 14-18 visit to China, including his meetings with Chinese President Hu Jintao.

During their discussions, Wang brought up the beef trade issue, saying that Taiwan is reluctant to see the entry of U.S. bone-in beef, ground beef, intestines, brains, spinal cords and other high-risk beef products despite Taiwan's consent on easing the import restrictions.

Wang told Burghardt that the introduction of such beef products on the market could spark more troubling political and social problems, considering the present political atmosphere in Taiwan.

Burghardt said he was unable to go into much details on the issue during his brief visit here.

But like William Stanton, director of the AIT's Taipei Office, Burghardt said he hopes that Taiwan will be committed to the promise to ease the imports of U.S. beef products as stipulated in the agreement.

The opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has repeatedly paralyzed legislative meetings to press for re-negotiation of the Taiwan-U.S. beef trade protocol that has already taken effect.

The DPP is also seeking to push through regulation changes for a direct ban on U.S. beef products deemed as high-risk items.

Responding to local reporters' questions about Obama's overall policies toward Taiwan, Burghardt said the U.S. president expounded clearly on U.S. policy toward Taiwan during his stay in Shanghai and Beijing, and made it clear that he will in no way change Washington's established Taiwan policy.

Obama also mentioned in press statements Washington's commitment to the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) — the U.S. law governing relations with Taiwan in the absence of formal diplomatic ties — in bilateral engagements, he explained.

“That was a personal desire by him to make sure it's mentioned,” said Burghardt.

Burghardt said Obama's remarks during his meetings with Beijing leaders on topics that included U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, all pointed to no change in the U.S. policy and stance on Taiwan-related issues during Obama's tenure.

Touching on the U.S. stance toward China's sovereignty claim over Taiwan, Speaker Wang said Burghardt stressed to him that the United States has never “recognized” Beijing's claim.

“In the 1972 U.S.-China communique, Burghardt reminded me, the United States just said it 'acknowledges' China's sovereignty claim and the U.S. government has never wavered on this stance,” Wang said.

“I told Burghardt that as any statement from the U.S. president concerning Taiwan's sovereignty tends to have a great impact, we hope Obama will exercise prudence in dealing with the issue and will leave no room for speculation,” Wang said.

Wang added that he also expressed hope during his talks with Burghardt that the United States will abide by the TRA in helping Taiwan to safeguard its security with continuing arms sales.

Burghardt will call on President Ma Ying-jeou and other political figures before wrapping up his visit Nov. 25,

He will also meet with Premier Wu Den-yi, Mainland Affairs Council Chairwoman Lai Shin-yuan and DPP Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen as well as some Taiwanese business and industry leaders.

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