By Lin Chia-nan / Staff reporterOnline shopping platforms face a fine of up to NT$150,000 (US$4,918) if found illegally selling meat products from overseas, Council of Agriculture (COA) Minister Chen Chi-chung (陳吉仲) said yesterday, as the council tightened several regulations in a bid to keep African swine fever at bay. Chen made the announcement at a news conference in Taipei after a meeting of the Central Emergency Operation Center for preventing African swine fever. Imported meat products are required to adhere to the nation’s quarantine regulations, whether they are imported from areas affected by African swine fever or not, Council of Agriculture Deputy Minister Huang Chin-cheng (黃金城) said. In addition to Europe, 10 Asian nations have reported cases of African swine fever — China, Mongolia, Vietnam, Cambodia, South Korea, North Korea, Laos, Myanmar, East Timor and the Philippines — the council said. While Beijing earlier this month launched 26 measures that it claimed are beneficial for Taiwanese, it should first work with Taiwan to contain African swine fever for the benefit of the whole of Asia, Chen said.

Source: Taipei Times November 13, 2019 16:00 UTC