Cho Jung-tai: Meat Imports from Non-Epidemic Areas Align with International Standards, No Loopholes
Premier Cho Jung-tai addressed concerns regarding the relaxation of meat and agricultural import inspections, stating that Taiwan's protocols for non-epidemic areas will follow international standards and ensure food safety remains intact.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 28, 2026 at 13:11
- 🔍 Collected: April 28, 2026 at 13:31 (20 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 28, 2026 at 15:57 (2h 26m after Collected)
Central News Agency
(CNA, Taipei, 28th) The quarantine regulations for imported US processing potatoes have drawn attention. Legislators questioned if potatoes are a loophole in food safety, noting that the text of the US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade (ART) will terminate box-by-box and frozen inspections for beef. In response, Premier Cho Jung-tai said that for meat imports from non-epidemic areas, the approach aligns with international practices, and there are absolutely no loopholes.
The Legislative Yuan continued its general policy interpellation today. KMT Legislator Niu Hsu-ting stated that while everyone is recently focused on the 'potato chaos,' potatoes are just the 'appetizer,' and Ractopamine-pork and beef are the real concerns. He claimed the ART text mentions terminating box-by-box and frozen inspection procedures for beef as a non-tariff trade barrier and asked if this is true.
Agriculture Minister Chen Jun-ji replied that while this falls under border quarantine by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, box-by-box inspection is a special measure reserved for cases where contraband has been discovered. In the past, all countries were subjected to 'sampling' based on risk; 100% box-by-box inspection is only used for high-risk cases.
Cho Jung-tai stated that for meat imports from non-epidemic areas, international practices are adopted. The approach must change, including the determination of epidemic areas and whether US beef originates from such areas, aligning with international standards and procedures.
Niu Hsu-ting followed up, asking, 'So, is it going to be opened?' Chen Jun-ji said it shouldn't be put that way; regarding US beef, the US is already a 'BSE Negligible Risk' country, meaning it doesn't need to notify the WHO, so inspection norms should be modified to fit international standards.
Niu Hsu-ting said if Ractopamine-beef is to be opened to 'align' with international standards, would pork be next? Would batch inspections for pork also be opened? Cho Jung-tai stated that whether it's beef or pork, the principle is the same: the safety of the public, food safety, and international norms must be achieved simultaneously. 'We still have to inspect; it's not like the doors are wide open. There are still inspection standards and procedures.'
Chen Jun-ji pointed out that in border checks, all inspections are based on risk. Only those suspected of containing hazardous substances are inspected batch-by-batch; this is the key. Niu Hsu-ting believed potatoes are just the beginning of food safety loopholes. Cho responded that the imported potatoes will not have issues, and there are absolutely no loopholes. Changes in quarantine and sampling procedures are based on evidence.
Regarding Niu's questions, Chen Jun-ji said, 'You don't believe what we say, but you believe internet rumors.' (Editor: Wan Shu-chang) 1150428
(CNA, Taipei, 28th) The quarantine regulations for imported US processing potatoes have drawn attention. Legislators questioned if potatoes are a loophole in food safety, noting that the text of the US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade (ART) will terminate box-by-box and frozen inspections for beef. In response, Premier Cho Jung-tai said that for meat imports from non-epidemic areas, the approach aligns with international practices, and there are absolutely no loopholes.
The Legislative Yuan continued its general policy interpellation today. KMT Legislator Niu Hsu-ting stated that while everyone is recently focused on the 'potato chaos,' potatoes are just the 'appetizer,' and Ractopamine-pork and beef are the real concerns. He claimed the ART text mentions terminating box-by-box and frozen inspection procedures for beef as a non-tariff trade barrier and asked if this is true.
Agriculture Minister Chen Jun-ji replied that while this falls under border quarantine by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, box-by-box inspection is a special measure reserved for cases where contraband has been discovered. In the past, all countries were subjected to 'sampling' based on risk; 100% box-by-box inspection is only used for high-risk cases.
Cho Jung-tai stated that for meat imports from non-epidemic areas, international practices are adopted. The approach must change, including the determination of epidemic areas and whether US beef originates from such areas, aligning with international standards and procedures.
Niu Hsu-ting followed up, asking, 'So, is it going to be opened?' Chen Jun-ji said it shouldn't be put that way; regarding US beef, the US is already a 'BSE Negligible Risk' country, meaning it doesn't need to notify the WHO, so inspection norms should be modified to fit international standards.
Niu Hsu-ting said if Ractopamine-beef is to be opened to 'align' with international standards, would pork be next? Would batch inspections for pork also be opened? Cho Jung-tai stated that whether it's beef or pork, the principle is the same: the safety of the public, food safety, and international norms must be achieved simultaneously. 'We still have to inspect; it's not like the doors are wide open. There are still inspection standards and procedures.'
Chen Jun-ji pointed out that in border checks, all inspections are based on risk. Only those suspected of containing hazardous substances are inspected batch-by-batch; this is the key. Niu Hsu-ting believed potatoes are just the beginning of food safety loopholes. Cho responded that the imported potatoes will not have issues, and there are absolutely no loopholes. Changes in quarantine and sampling procedures are based on evidence.
Regarding Niu's questions, Chen Jun-ji said, 'You don't believe what we say, but you believe internet rumors.' (Editor: Wan Shu-chang) 1150428