The protest revolves around the use of ractopamine, a drug administered to cattle. In China, the EU and Taiwan it is forbidden, but for 26 other nations - including the U.S. and Brazil - it is required by law. Next week parliament will vote on imports. President asked for approval to strengthen trade with Washington.

Taipei (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Dozens of Taiwanese activists took to the streets today in the capital Taipei to protest against the importation of meat from the United States containing an food additive , the controversial ractopamine, a drug belonging to the category of "β-agonist" the administration of which to food-producing animals is banned in many countries. Soon parliament will have to vote on the subject of fierce disputes, which should allow the import of such foods. Even in the past the import of U.S. beef sparked controversy and protests, with tens of thousands of citizens in the streets, as was the case in 2008 in South Korea

A group of demonstrators met near the U.S. embassy in Taipei, waving placards and chanting songs and slogans of protest including "American bullies, toxic beef". Chen Man-li, one of the leaders of the march, explained that "we are not willing to accept U.S. beef containing ractopamine." He is sending a message to Washington: "Taiwan is small - he says - the Taiwanese want to live in dignity." Taiwan, China and the European Union have banned meat containing the drug, but 26 nations - including the United States, Australia, Canada and Brazil - declared its use legal.

Next week, Parliament will meet in Taipei to pass a law that will allow the import of meat from the United States even if it contains the drug at the center of the controversy. A move linked to the broader effort to strengthen trade between the U.S. and Taiwan, which has met stiff resistance from local producers, activists, opposition parties and even some members of the ruling Kuomintang (KMT).

Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou urged party colleagues to support the norm, explaining that it would "facilitate" future collaboration with Washington in the shareholders agreement better known as the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (Tifa). And he concluded with an emphatic tone: "If Taiwan does not open to the world, the world will not accept Taiwan ...".

In the past, in other Asian nations there was fierce controversy and demonstrations against the importation of "inflated" meat produced in the U.S.. In 2008, the streets and squares of Seoul, S outh Korea's capital, saw massive demonstrations by activists and ordinary citizens - Christians and Buddhists - against U.S. beef (see AsiaNews 03/05/2008 More than 10,000 demonstrate against the importing of meat from the United States). The protests were sparked by the fear that the imported cattle were infected by the "mad cow" disease.

• Taiwan
• US
• beef
• imports
• food
• additive
• protest
• trade
• parliament