US, Taiwan still far from resolving beef row: MOEA

The MOEA will continue to communicate with the U.S. in an effort to resolve the trade issue and to resume trade talks under the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) as soon as possible, said Vice Minister of Economic Affairs Francis Kuo Hsin Liang.

“Communication continues at a technical level, “ said Liang, as the U.S. again urged Taiwan to open its market further to U.S. beef. U.S. Trade Representative Ronald Kirk told reporters in Washington Wednesday that if Taiwan wants to resolve the beef dispute with the U.S., the only way is to follow the guidelines of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).

The Paris-based OIE has classified the U.S. as “a controlled risk country” for mad cow disease, which means that the U.S. can export beef from cattle younger than 30 months with minor limits on specified risk materials that may transmit mad cow disease to humans.

Taiwanese officials said that the U.S. mentioned the OIE guidelines because it is still upset about Taiwan's banning of some U.S. beef products.

If Taiwan follows the OIE guidelines, it will allow imports of ground beef, offal and other beef parts such as skulls, brains, eyes and spines — which have been banned under a law passed by the country's legislature in January, the officials said.

Taiwan agreed, in a protocol with Washington last October, to lift a ban on U.S. bone-in beef and certain other beef products. The ban had been in place since 2003, when the case of mad cow disease was reported in the U.S., and has been partially lifted at intervals after then.

Amid public concern that some of the products allowed under the Oct. 22 protocol could pose a health risk to consumers, the Legislative Yuan passed a bill in January that barred the import of ground beef, offal and other beef parts such as skulls, brains, eyes and spines.

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