SAN FRANCISCO: Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou drove home Taiwan's stance on banning imports of certain risky parts of US beef to 12 US congressional members over the phone Tuesday.

Ma, who arrived in San Francisco Monday for an overnight layover en route to Honduras and the Dominican Republic for official visits, spent Tuesday morning in his hotel room talking on the phone with 11 US senators and representatives to seek their understanding of Taiwan's beef trade policy.

He later met with San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who paid Ma a courtesy visit.

Ma also spoke by phone with another congressman on Taiwan's controversial partial US beef import ban.

Sources close to Ma's entourage said more than half of the congressional members to whom Ma has reached out are from agricultural states or constituencies.

According to the sources, none of the senators or representatives represented the Obama administration. They were expressing their own concerns to Ma about Taiwan's policy toward US beef imports.

Ma did not ask the congressional members to lobby the Obama administration on Taiwan's behalf but instead briefed them on his government's stance in dealing with the beef trade row.

He explained that Taiwan welcomes US bone-in beef with the exception of ground beef and bovine offal over public health concerns, the sources said.

In their conversations with Ma, some congressional members said they were worried Taiwan may extend the ban on imports of US bone-in beef after denying market access to ground beef and beef offal.

In response, Ma said the amendment passed by Taiwan's legislature to block entry of US ground beef and bovine offal is a response to public misgivings about mad cow disease.

While the Taiwanese public's concern might lack scientific support, Ma said, a democratic government should respect public opinion.

"We have allowed entry of US bone-in beef first so that our consumers can gradually build up confidence in the product quality," Ma was quoted as having told American congressional members. When Taiwanese consumers become confident in US bone-in beef, Taiwan may gradually further open its market.

After listening to Ma's explanations, most of the congressmen expressed their understanding of Taiwan's stance. Some even thanked him for his administration's efforts in resolving the row, the sources said.

Among the congressmen with whom Ma spoke was Dave Camp, who joined with three colleagues in writing a letter to US Trade Representative Ron Kirk recently, demanding that the US government suspend trade talks with Taiwan until the latter lifts its ban on US ground beef and bovine offal.

China Daily/CNA

(HK Edition 01/28/2010 page2)