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TAIPEI: Thousands of people packed the streets of Taipei on Sunday for the annual “Autumn Struggle” protest march organized by labor groups, with much of the anger centered on the government’s decision to ease restrictions on meat imports American pork.
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 pig movement, which it says threatens food security.
President Tsai Ing-wen announced in August that, effective January 1, the government would allow US pork that contains ractopamine, an additive that improves leanness but is banned in the European Union and China, as well as the American beef older than 30 months.
While it was welcomed in Washington and removed an obstacle to a long-sought U.S. free trade agreement for Taiwan, the KMT has strongly opposed the decision, capitalizing on public concern over food safety after several scandals from high profile in recent years.
KMT Chairman Johnny Chiang, elected in March to help turn the parties’ fortunes after a beating in the January presidential and parliamentary elections, asked Tsai to hold a televised debate with him on the issue.
“Taiwanese pigs don’t eat ractopamine and yet are you asking Taiwanese people to do so? Does this make sense?” he told his followers.
There was no immediate reaction from the presidential office.
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.
The DPP, which had previously been strongly opposed to ractopamine, has accused the KMT of spreading false news on the subject that attempts to sow public fear.
The KMT is also trying to organize a referendum on pork imports from the United States for next year.
The pig will begin to arrive from January 1.
