Thousands be a part of Taiwan protest, anger focused on US pork
Thousands of folks took to Taipei's streets on Sunday for the gross annual "Autumn Struggle" protest march organized by labor groupings, with much of the anger centered on the government's decision to help ease restrictions on imports of US pork. Taiwan's key opposition get together, the Kuomintang (KMT), rallied its supporters to join the march for the first time, having mounted an extremely strident advertising campaign against the pork decision, which it says threatens food safety.
President Tsai Ing-wen announced in August that the federal government would, from Jan. 1, allow imports of US pork comprising ractopamine, an additive that enhances leanness but is banned in europe and China, together with U.S. beef a lot more than 30 a few months outdated. While welcomed in Washington, and taking away a roadblock to an extended sought after US free trade deal for Taiwan, the KMT has strongly opposed your choice, experiencing public concern about food safety after different high-profile scandals recently.
KMT Chairman Johnny Chiang elected found in March to help turn around party fortunes just after a trouncing in January's presidential and parliamentary elections, named on Tsai to be a part of a televised debate on the problem. "Taiwanese pigs don't take in ractopamine and yet you are requesting Taiwanese persons to? Does this make sense?" he informed supporters. Tsai's federal government and her ruling Democratic Progressive Get together (DPP), which has a large majority found in parliament, says the decision delivers the island into brand with international norms, isn't a protection threat and will boost Taiwan-US ties.
In a statement on Sunday, the DPP urged the KMT to "quit its political machinations and return to rational discussions".The DPP, which had previously voiced strong objections to ractopamine, has accused the KMT of spreading fake news about the topic in order to sow public fear. The KMT can be hoping to organize a referendum on US pork imports.
