Taiwan's safety, security important, critical to US, says diplomat Hsiao

Washington [US], November 14 (ANI): Ahead of US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping scheduled virtual meeting on Monday, Taiwan's Ambassador Hsiao Bi-khim said that the safety and security of her nation is an important and critical issue to America and to other stakeholders in the region.
When asked how the topic of Taiwan could be discussed during the meeting, Taiwan's envoy to the US Hsiao Bi-khim said on Saturday that Taiwan has trust in the US and there is close communication between the two sides, reported Focus Taiwan.
Taiwan's understanding is that the meeting is about managing competition, Hsiao said, and as there are currently multiple layers of competition between the US and China, the US will seek to ensure that it does not escalate into conflict and affect peace and stability in Taiwan.
The safety and security of Taiwan is an important and critical issue to the US and to other stakeholders in the region, Hsiao said.
Hsiao said that whether Taiwan's trade policy was consistent with international standards and based on scientific evidence was an issue that "the US has been concerned about for many years."
Hsiao made the comment in response to questions over whether an upcoming referendum aimed at overturning the decision by Taiwan's government to allow pork imports that contain residue of the controversial livestock drug ractopamine would affect Taiwan-US relations if it is passed, reported Focus Taiwan.
Taiwan announced in August 2020 that it would allow in pork containing ractopamine starting in January, in an apparent effort to clear the way for a trade deal between Taipei and Washington.
Ractopamine is currently banned for use in pigs in Taiwan as well as in the European Union and China because of concerns over its safety to both animals and humans, but the US has long criticized Taiwan's zero-tolerance policy on ractopamine in pork as an impediment to trade, reported Focus Taiwan. (ANI)