Taiwan’s main opposition party has been pushed for a referendum to overturn the government’s new policy on lifting a ban and importing US pork treated with ractopamine. Ractopamine, banned in many countries but used in the US, is a controversial feed additive and is thought to be possibly harmful to human health.
Last August, President Tsai Ing-wen announced the decision to allow imports of US pork and beef containing safe levels of ractopamine. Some people viewed it as an effort to overcome the hurdle of a bilateral trade deal between Taipei and Washington.
However, the concerns over food safety provoked a backlash from the public against US pork. The second stage of the referendum process requires the signatures of 1.5 percent of eligible voters. If the goal is successfully achieved, people in Taiwan will get to vote on the question, “Do you agree to a total ban on all pork and beef containing ractopamine?”
友善讓你懂｜解說：
針對近來的美國豬肉問題，在野黨正試圖發起公投，推翻政府這項「取消進口美國含萊克多巴胺豬肉進口限制」的新政策。萊克多巴胺是一種具有爭議性的飼料添加劑，在許多國家遭到禁用、但在美國可以合法使用，也有些人認為它對人體健康可能會造成傷害。
蔡英文總統在去年八月宣布這個決策，准許含有安全標準值以下劑量萊克多巴胺的美國豬肉及牛肉進口。此舉被部分人士視為是試圖要移除台美之間建立雙邊貿易協定的障礙。
然而，對食品安全的擔憂，激起了民眾對美國豬肉的強烈反對聲浪。第一階段連署已經通過。第二階段需要收集到1.5%合法選民（約29萬人）的簽名附議才能過關。如果成功達標，台灣人民將可以針對「你是否同意完全禁止含有萊克多巴胺的豬肉進口」這個問題進行全民公投。
輕鬆帶著走｜學習：
push的意思是推、推擠、推動，push for sth是推動、反覆呼籲、爭取某件事的意思。
例句：
The citizens pushed for strict law enforcement to prevent crime.
民眾要求嚴厲執法來防止犯罪。
本篇其他相關單字：
- referendum (n.) 公投
- ractopamine (n.) 萊克多巴胺
- controversial (adj.) 有爭議性的
- feed addictive (n.) 飼料添加劑
- hurdle (n.) 障礙、困難
- bilateral (adj.) 雙方的
發佈留言