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TAIPEI (Reuters) – Thousands of people took to the streets of Taipei on Sunday for the annual “Autumn Struggle” protest march organized by labor groups, and much of the anger centered on the government’s decision to ease restrictions on American pork imports.
Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), rallied its supporters to join the march for the first time, having mounted an increasingly strident campaign against the decision on pork, which it says threatens food safety.
President Tsai Ing-wen announced in August that the government would allow, starting on January 1, imports of American pork containing ractopamine, an additive that increases thinness but is prohibited in the European Union and China, as well as American beef for over 30 months old.
While it was welcomed in Washington and removed an obstacle to a long-sought US free trade agreement for Taiwan, the KMT has strongly opposed the decision, capitalizing on public concern over food safety after several scandals. high profile in recent years.
KMT Chairman Johnny Chiang, elected in March to help turn the party’s fortunes after a beating in January’s presidential and parliamentary elections, asked Tsai to participate in a televised debate on the issue.
“Taiwanese pigs don’t eat ractopamine and yet are you asking Taiwanese to do so? Does this make sense? He told his followers.
The Tsai government and its ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which has a large majority in parliament, say the decision aligns the island with international standards, is not a security threat, and will strengthen ties between Taiwan and United States.
In a statement on Sunday, the DPP urged the KMT to “stop their political machinations and return to rational discussions.”
The DPP, which had previously voiced strong objections to ractopamine, has accused the KMT of spreading false news on the issue in an effort to sow public fear.
The KMT is also trying to organize a referendum on pork imports from the United States.
(Reporting by Ann Wang; written by Ben Blanchard; edited by Lincoln Feast and David Goodman)
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