TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) on Tuesday called for stronger central and local government cooperation on food safety law amendments following a tainted cooking oil scandal.
CNA reported that Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) called Chen on Monday and invited him to a food safety rally on Ketagalan Boulevard on Saturday. Chen instead encouraged Chiang to attend a Cabinet meeting on food safety Tuesday afternoon.
The Cabinet invited the mayors of Taiwan’s six special municipalities to review proposed amendments to the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation. Chen said the meeting would allow central and local officials to discuss gaps in the current food safety system.
Chen said food safety responsibilities are divided between central and local governments. Clearer laws and stronger coordination could help officials respond more effectively, he added.
Chen also called for closer cooperation among cities and counties. He said local governments should share information and support one another when food products are distributed across administrative boundaries.
The oil scandal should be used to identify weaknesses and improve the food safety system, Chen said. Officials should focus on solving problems rather than assigning political blame, he added.
Chen proposed regular food safety meetings between the premier or vice premier and local government leaders. He said the meetings could help officials share experiences and resolve coordination problems.
CNA reported that Chiang confirmed he would attend the Cabinet meeting and propose amendments to the food safety law. He said food safety should not become a partisan issue and added that Taipei had inspected a local oil-processing factory.
