"Since the US Food and Drug Administration [FDA] approved the use of ractopamine in the US in 1999, consumers in the US and Taiwan alike have been eating and enjoying US pork produced this way," Young said. "The FDA has a well-deserved reputation for its scientific expertise and has a rigorous approval process before any new veterinary drug is allowed for use in the US."

Young made the remarks in a press release yesterday.

Regarding recent criticism that the AIT has been pressuring Taiwan's government with its advocacy of a science-based approach to the testing and approval of ractopamine, Young said that he understood people's concerns but food safety was also an important issue for the US government.

In addition, Young said that the US government had no intention of taking over Taiwan's pork market to the detriment of local hog farmers' business.

"Our negotiating position on this has always been simply in the interest of lowering trade barriers between the US and Taiwan and maintaining a level playing field for international trade," he said.

Meanwhile, Chinese Nationalist Party presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou criticized the government for having an inconsistent agricultural policy.