Fighting scenes in Taiwan’s parliament are cyclical – and may involve scenes of boxing or flying chairs – but parliamentarians in the territory are also given to more imaginative struggles. This time, and with the discussion centered on easing restrictions on pork imports from the United States, members of parliament did what could be called a ‘thematic intervention’, with opposition MPs throwing pork entrails at members government party. With some exchange of aggressions in between.
According to CNN, which cites Taiwanese state television, the controversy was due to President Tsai Ing-wend’s decision to allow the import of pork with ractopamine, an additive for animal feed which powers lean, fast-growing genetic strains, and which is banned in many countries – cases from China and the entire European Union.
Tsai, also leader of the Democratic Progressive Party, the ruling party, announced in August that importation will be allowed from 1 January 2021. “I know there are differences of opinion in our country, but this is a problem that any party American meat import will allow greater choice in the market, people are not obliged to eat it “, he said then.
The Kuomintang (KMT), in opposition, as well as consumer associations and livestock farmers in Taiwan, accuse policymakers of selling the health of Taiwanese in exchange for closer ties with the United States.
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