Keeping Pressure On Taiwan To Fix Beef
US - After Taiwan voted to reverse an agreement reached between them and the US, congressional leaders are urging the Administration to keep the pressure on Taiwan to change their decision.
21 January 2010
1 minute read
Ways and Means Chairman Charles Rangel, Ranking Member Dave Camp, Trade Subcommittee Chairman Sander Levin and Ranking Member Kevin Brady expressed frustration with Taiwan’s undoing of an October 2009 bilateral protocol regarding market access for US beef and beef product exports and commended the Administration for suspending talks with Taiwan under the US-Taiwan Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA).
On 5 January, lawmakers in Taiwan voted to ban some US beef products, a move that reverses the agreement reached between the US and Taiwan in October.
“The 5 January, 2010 vote of Legislative Yuan will not only have a significant effect on exports of US beef and beef products to Taiwan, it has broader implications for US-Taiwan trade relations,” the members state in a letter to US Trade Representative Ron Kirk.
The members also requested consultations before any such discussions reconvened.
“At this time we do not believe that the United States should move forward on these talks until Taiwan is once again compliant with its obligations under the Protocol,” the letter concludes.
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