DIRECTOR YOUNG ENLISTS HELP OF LY SPEAKER WANG ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 001740 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE ALSO FOR EAP/TC USTR FOR STRATFORD AND ALTBACH TREASURY FOR OASIA/TTYANG USDA FOR FAS/OCRA/ASIA RADLER, HIGGISTON, AND BEILLARD USDA FOR FAS/OSTA HAMILTON AND MAGINNIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/03/2032 TAGS: ECON ETRD EAGR PGOV PREL KIPR TW SUBJECT: DIRECTOR YOUNG ENLISTS HELP OF LY SPEAKER WANG ON RACTOPAMINE ISSUE REF: TAIPEI 1660 Classified By: Director Stephen M. Young, Reason(s): 1.4 (B/D). ¶1. (C) Summary: Legislative Yuan (LY) Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (KMT) told the Director on July 31 that he understood U.S. objections to Taiwan's "zero tolerance" policy toward ractopamine use, and promised consult with other Taiwan officials, including Vice Premier Chiou I-jen and Council of Agriculture Chairman Su Jia-chyuan, to seek a solution. The Director stressed that U.S. regulations on ractopamine parallel the draft UN-affiliated CODEX and WHO standards accepted by Australia, Japan, and Korea. Taiwan should reconsider its ban on ractopamine, and in the meantime, the Director suggested, Taiwan should temporarily adopt the CODEX standard to allow U.S. pork shipments to continue. Wang agreed that Taiwan's goal should be to reach a reasonable standard toward ractopamine use. End Summary. ¶2. (C) The Director told Wang that he had met with Vice Premier Chiou I-jen the preceding day (July 30) to discuss the ractopamine problem, and that Chiou had suggested that the Director meet with Wang, who enjoyed good relations with Taiwan's farmers. Wang appeared somewhat surprised by this recommendation, and told the Director that he had not spoken personally with anyone from the pig farmers' lobby. Therefore, he did not have a clear understanding of the nature of the dispute. Wang acknowledged that he was on good terms with many farm industry leaders, but denied having any special influence with them. He indicated that the Executive Yuan is responsible for decisions on these issues. ¶3. (C) The Director explained that U.S. pig farmers had been using ractopamine for nearly ten years to produce leaner pork. The UN-affiliated CODEX and WHO have also approved the use of ractopamine for lean pork production. In the U.S., the Director continued, ractopamine use is strictly regulated by the FDA and USDA. Under U.S. regulations, only minute traces of the drug will be tolerated in pork destined for human consumption. Other countries in the region, including Australia, Japan and Korea, have accepted ractopamine as safe, using the UN and CODEX regimes. Taiwan's decision to adopt a "zero tolerance" policy toward ractopamine and other feed additives contradicts world food safety standards, and is not supported by science. If the matter is not resolved quickly, the Director cautioned, it could damage overall trade relations between the U.S. and Taiwan. The Director asked for Wang's help in convincing Taiwan officials to harmonize Taiwan's food safety policies with those accepted by the international community. ¶4. (C) Wang told the Director that before speaking to other government officials, he would first need to understand the basis for Taiwan's "zero tolerance" policy, and compare it to the FDA, UN and WHO standards. The Director urged Wang to act quickly, to limit potential damage to the U.S.-Taiwan trade relationship. Taiwan officials should already understand the U.S. and international food safety standards governing ractopamine use, he added, since Taiwan had been accepting U.S. and other countries' pork imports for years. U.S. pork producers continually have shipments inbound to Taiwan, and an embargo would cause significant losses. Taiwan must act quickly to rationalize its policies to prevent this outcome. In the meantime, the Director urged that, while Taiwan revisits its own ractopamine policy, it should temporarily adopt the CODEX standard on ractopamine, to allow U.S. pork shipments to continue. Wang agreed that Taiwan's goal should be to reach a reasonable standard toward ractopamine use. TAIPEI 00001740 002 OF 002 ¶5. (C) Wang promised to speak directly with Vice Premier Chiou I-jen and Department of Health (DOH) Minister Hou Sheng-mao. The Director agreed that Wang should speak with Chiou, but urged Wang to meet with Council of Agriculture Chairman Su Jia-chyuan, instead of DOH Minister Hou, who might be unwilling to cooperate for fear of increased public criticism. Wang agreed, and promised to contact the Director in the coming days to keep him informed. YOUNG