Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05TAIPEI1851
2005-04-20 08:36:00
CONFIDENTIAL
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Cable title:  

LOBBYING FOR BEEF: TECHNICAL EXPERTISE AND

Tags:  ECON PGOV PREL TW 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 001851 

SIPDIS

USDA FAS FOR OA; CMP/DLP
STATE PASS AIT/W

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/20/2015
TAGS: ECON PGOV PREL TW
SUBJECT: LOBBYING FOR BEEF: TECHNICAL EXPERTISE AND
DIPLOMATIC INTERVENTION

Classified By: AIT Director Douglas H. Paal, Reason 1.4 (b/d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 001851

SIPDIS

USDA FAS FOR OA; CMP/DLP
STATE PASS AIT/W

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/20/2015
TAGS: ECON PGOV PREL TW
SUBJECT: LOBBYING FOR BEEF: TECHNICAL EXPERTISE AND
DIPLOMATIC INTERVENTION

Classified By: AIT Director Douglas H. Paal, Reason 1.4 (b/d)


1. (C) Summary. The fifteen-month odyssey to end the Taiwan
ban on U.S. beef imports concluded April 16, with the formal
announcement that the ban was lifted. The first beef
shipments are expected to arrive in Taiwan by the end of
April. Even at the last moment, when the battle appeared
won, new bureaucratic and political obstacles rose to
obstruct lifting the ban. These complex negotiations
required the tandem effort of technical agricultural/economic
consultations and political/ diplomatic intervention. At
critical junctures in the negotiation end game, the AIT
Director had to weigh in at the highest levels in Taipei to
maintain forward momentum. With legislative opposition to
Taipei's decision to lift the ban continuing, AIT will work
with both government and legislators to ensure accurate
information on the U.S. beef inspection system. End Summary.



2. (U) On Christmas Eve, 2003, Taiwan imposed a temporary
suspension on U.S. beef and beef product imports, which had
totaled U.S. $325 million that year. Over the next fifteen
months, USDA officials in Washington and at AIT worked with
Taiwan health and agricultural authorities to convey detailed
technical information and respond to numerous questions in an
effort to lift the temporary beef import suspension.
Undersecretary Penn and other USDA officials and scientists
corresponded with and traveled to Taiwan to press the
scientific case for lifting the ban. The strongest reservoir
of resistance came from the Council of Agriculture (COA).


3. (C) In his introductory call on the new Premier, Frank
Hsieh (Chang-ting),on February 14, the AIT Director urged
the Taiwan government to lift the ban on U.S. beef, calling
the Premier,s attention to the abundance of scientific data
USDA had provided to Taiwan authorities. On March 18 and 19,
the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Premier separately
informed the Director that the decision had been made to
re-open the market. At a dinner with President Chen
Shui-bian and Premier Hsieh on March 21, the Director again

raised the beef import ban, urging that U.S. beef imports be
resumed as soon as possible. Both men voiced their strong
support for lifting the ban.


4. (U) In mid-March, however, several Legislative Yuan (LY)
members began publicly voicing objections to lifting the ban.
Taipei Solidarity Union (TSU) legislator Lai Hsin-yuan
challenged the government's plans to reopen the Taiwan market
to American beef, charging the government deliberately
ignored questions raised by the COA about the risks of BSE
contamination from imported American beef. The Director
telephoned Lai on March 16, using points prepared by the AIT
Agriculture Section to describe the U.S. safeguards in place.
He explained how, contrary to her allegations, which may
have been fed her by COA, this is properly a Health Ministry
issue and how the ministry,s actions in preparing to reopen
the market are all fully in accord with the guidelines of the
World Animal Health Organization. AIT Agriculture Section
followed up by providing Lai with supporting documentation.
The COA, however, continued its opposition to lifting the ban
and sought to devise administrative procedures to effectively
continue the ban.


5. (C) The AIT Director telephoned National Security Council
(NSC) Secretary General Chiou I-Jen -- who had been present
at the March 21 dinner during which both President and
Premier voiced their strong support for rescinding the ban --
calling Chiou,s attention to COA maneuvering to block
rescission of the ban and requesting his assistance. On
March 24, SecGen Chiou called the Director to inform him that
DOH had just published a notice on its website lifting the
ban on U.S. beef imports. NSC Senior Advisor Connie Yang, he
explained, had convinced the COA to back off its demands.
The DOH notice, however, listed several conditions, including
the seemingly innocuous requirement that the beef must come
from animals &born, raised, and slaughtered in the U.S.8
The "born in" provision reflected the concern of Taiwan
health authorities over USDA plans to resume imports of live
cattle from Canada, since this raised the possibility that
banned Canadian beef might be exported to Taiwan via the U.S.
The "born in" requirement would be impossible for USDA to
meet, however, because of the ongoing and well-established
U.S. animal trade with Mexico.


6. (C) Taiwan authorities proved receptive to USDA
explanations on the nature of the U.S. cattle industry.
Given the highly partisan nature of Taiwan politics, however,
it would have been politically difficult for DOH to make a
high-profile public correction of the March 24 announcement.
AIT, moreover, wanted to maintain a low public profile on
this discussion to avoid politicizing the issue and
encouraging possible negative public reaction. Additional
meetings between the AIT Agricultural Section and DOH, and an
exchange of letters between USDA and DOH, resolved the "born
in" issue. DOH agreed that U.S. beef export documents
stating that beef &derived from cattle under the age of
thirty months slaughtered in the United States" satisfied
their intention that beef be produced in the U.S. The
letters were also sufficient for USDA to begin writing
Wholesomeness and Export Certificates on April 16, with the
first beef shipments expected to arrive in coming days.
There will not, however, be an immediate DOH public
announcement modifying the "born in" phrase.


7. (U) While public reaction since the March 24 announcement
has been largely positive, Legislative Yuan (LY) member Lai
Hsin-yuan called a press conference on April 16 to challenge
the decision and to threaten the DOH with legal action. On
April 19, Lai filed an appeal with the Executive Yuan Appeal
Committee seeking to overturn the DOH decision to resume U.S.
beef imports. Legislator Winston Dang has requested AIT to
provide information on the U.S. beef inspection process in
regard to Lai,s appeal.


8. (C) Comment. The heavy comprehensive series of technical
discussions and documentary evidence marshalled by USDA was
essential at every step of the way in the rescission fight.
At the same time, facts and scientific data could go only so
far before running into hard political walls in Taiwan. In
such a highly politicized environment, AIT lobbying helped
the government find the political will to lift the U.S. beef
import ban. AIT will continue closely following -- and
countering with information and data -- Lai,s appeal and any
other legislative opposition that develops.
PAAL