By Lin Chia-nan / Staff reporterA new agricultural division is to be established at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) in Washington to “meet practical needs,” but it has nothing to do with importing US pork and beef, government officials said yesterday. It would be the first agricultural division “formally” established at Taiwan’s representative offices, although the council has sent agriculture-related officials to Eswatini, Honduras, Indonesia, Japan, Mauritius and Thailand, Department of International Affairs Deputy Director-General Lin Chih-hung (林志鴻) told the Taipei Times. Two council officials have been working at the TECRO for a long time, and would be given new titles after the division is established, he said. Promoting Taiwan-US cooperation in quarantine techniques and agricultural technology are among their missions, he said, adding that boosting bilateral trade in agriculture is just part of their job. Considering bilateral trade has become increasingly intensive, the TECRO decides to establish a new division to “meet practical needs,” ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou (歐江安) said.

Source: Taipei Times November 26, 2019 15:56 UTC