US Beef Imports: A Lesson in Communications

US Beef Imports: A Lesson in Communications
China Times editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
January 6, 2010

Yesterday, despite intense U.S. pressure, the Legislative Yuan amended its Act Governing Food Sanitation on a Third Reading. It prohibited the importation of six high-risk types of U.S. beef. President Ma followed up with a low-keyed press conference. The controversy over U.S. beef imports is not over. If anything, the aftershocks have just begun.

In all fairness, the Ma administration never wanted to loosen restrictions on US beef imports. The Chen administration loosened import restrictions when it was in office. Was its action controversial? Yes it was. But everyone ignored it. US beef continued to enter. People continued to eat it. The Ma administration is now allowing in bone-in steak and organ meats. The Legislative Yuan amended its Act Governing Food Sanitation. It allowed in only one item, bone-in beef. This move provoked the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and economic and trade ministries to issue a statement, saying that Washington will now find it difficult to cooperate with Taipei on economics and trade in the future.

That the controversy has come to this is indeed regrettable. Given President Ma's cautious style, how did he wind up with today's mess? Especially considering the fact that whenever problems crop up, the first thing President Ma does is ask what he may do and what he may not do. Unfortunately, even though touches all the bases, legally, institutionally, and humanistically, he always ends up the loser. Why?

The Legislative Yuan found the agreement between Taipei and Washington objectionable a long time ago. It objected to the agreement during the three in one county and municipal elections. Green Camp legislators were not the only ones who refused to support it. Even Blue Camp legislators were in full revolt. The KMT legislative caucus reversed the Executive Yuan. Blue Camp legislators unanimously supported Huang Yi-chiao's version. They insisted that any questionable US beef be banned. If Huang Yi-chiao had been a trouble-maker who never took anything seriously, it would be one thing. But he was not. When the Blue Camp and Orange Camps were struggling against each other, he wanted to join the battle. He could have run against Jason Hu for Taichung Mayor. Even now, he would love to run for Taichung City Mayor. He could run against Hu, Liao, and Lu. But he doesn't like confrontation. When even someone like this voices objections, it shows one thing. The reason President Ma has been criticized is his failure to communicate.

Furthermore, former Director of Health Yeh Chin-chuan admitted that he failed to handover the case to current Director of Health Yang Chih-liang. Yang was left completely out of the loop regarding matters settled during Yeh's term of office. If a government is functioning normally, Yang would accept agreements Yeh already made. Why didn't he? Just exactly what have the National Security Council and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs been doing?

Taipei's international situation has long been less than ideal. But shouldn't Taipei show a little backbone? This is merely about eating a little beef. Whom did the Chen administration consult before it loosened restrictions on U.S. beef? Chen Shui-bian did not bother to consult any member of the public on Taiwan. Apparently he did not even consult anyone in the Department of Health. He decided to import beef, so the government imported beef. The Ma administration was more transparent than the South Korean government. So why did it provoke such controversy? President Ma Ying-jeou is a gentleman. The only lesson he has never learned is how to develop a thick skin and black heart. Ground beef can be made into hamburgers. But who dares to eat beef brains or organ meats? Even if the government dared to loosen restrictions, no one would dare import them. Even if someone dared import them, they couldn't make any money on them, What is there to be afraid of? Curiously, from the decision-making stage to the Legislative Yuan, no one dared say anything. Former Director of Health Yeh Chin-chuan admitted that the U.S. beef imports agreement was hammered out during his term. Yeh resigned to run for Hualien County Executive three or four months ago. Is the Ma administration afraid to speak up? Is it incapable of communicating with the people? How can a government that habitually keeps secrets communicate with the public?

The Legislative Yuan passed amendments to the Act Governing Food Sanitation. That evening President Ma Ying-jeou was forced to hold a press conference explaining his position. The amended law was inconistent with the agreement reached between Taipei and Washington. Both the Executive Yuan and the Legislative Yuan will have to answer for the consequences. His remarks were utterly superfluous. Who is willing to answer for the consequences alongside the president? The Legislative Yuan? Forget Blue and Green Camp legislators. What about Legislative Yuan President Wang Jing-pyng? The president is in trouble. Is he willing to open his heart to the Legislative Yuan president?

For the past year and a half, President Ma has placed high hopes on public opinion. He has repeatedly lamented that the expression "hating iron for not becoming steel" (being exasperated with someone for failing to realize his potential) has become an expedient way to criticize the president, a cheapshot. Is Ma's lament reasonable? A head of state must not engage in corruption. On this count, Ma passes with flying colors. But that is merely the minimum requirement. We also expect a president to be decisive. Many people have expressed dissatisfaction. The President may not act selfishly for his own benefit. The president must solicit dissenting opinions. Has President Ma heard them? As head of state, as commander in chief of 23 million people, President Ma must ask himself, from the administration's perspective, who can help him communicate its views to the Legislative Yuan, and persuade voters at the grassroots level? From a political perspective, who can help him solve problems, and cozy up to elected officials? From a partisan perspective, who can help him erect a big tent, collecting all the votes? The king is in trouble. Why? Because we know right from wrong in our hearts. Who should be consulted. Who should be replaced. One has standards. Whether to consult a person and whether to replace a person, must not be decided on the basis of personal likes or dislikes. The president is like a sea that collects waters from a hundred rivers. These hundred rivers are not just one or two people. This is not just the president's problem. This is Taiwan's problem. The president says he wants to listen to the Legislative Yuan's views. If so, he should walk the walk, and not just talk the talk. From this day forward, he must communicate major policies in advance. This is a mission he must accomplish.

中時電子報 新聞
中國時報 　2010.01.06
社論－美牛教訓：重大政策須先溝通好
本報訊

儘管面臨美國龐大壓力，立法院昨天依舊三讀修正食品衛生管理法，禁止六項高風險美牛部位進口，馬總統隨後召開記者會低調接受了這個事實。美牛風波至此還不能算是真正落幕，後續效應恐怕才剛開始！

平心而論，美國牛肉，並不是馬政府要進口的，當年開放進口的是扁政府，有沒有爭議？有！沒人理，照開放，國人吃不吃？照吃！此時此刻，馬政府開放的是帶骨牛排和內臟絞肉等等，結果立法院三讀食品衛生管理法修正案，允許開放的只有一項：帶骨牛肉。此舉，讓美國在台協會（ＡＩＴ）和經貿部都發表聲明，宣稱未來和台灣很難再談經貿合作事宜。

這樁風波發展到今天這個地步，確實令人遺憾！以馬總統行事風格的慎重，怎麼會走到今天這個結果？特別是馬總統的行事風格之一，就是遇事第一時間，總是想究竟能做什麼，不能做什麼？但最終結果就算從法理到制度、從制度到人情都面面俱全了，最後輸家還是只有他一人，這究竟是什麼緣故？

不諱言說，國會對台美議定書不以為然，不是一時半刻之事。從三合一選舉前吵到選舉後，不要說綠營立委不肯支持，藍營立委甚至全數倒戈，行政院版被國民黨立院黨團翻案，藍營立委全數支持黃義交版：有風險的美牛內容全數不准進口！黃義交如果是調皮搗蛋成習的立委也罷，他不是！藍橘之爭的時候，他想爭，可以是和胡志強爭台中市長之人，即使此時此刻，他想爭大台中市長，他照樣可以和胡、廖、盧爭，他是一個不與人爭之人，連這樣的人都有異議，只說明一件事，馬總統被批評，因為：溝通不夠！

再者，前衛生署長葉金川承認此事沒和現任衛生署長楊志良交接，他任內談好的事，楊完全狀況外。如果政府運轉正常，即使葉談好的事，楊也該欣然接受之，為什麼沒辦法？請問：國安會、外交部一直以來究竟在幹什麼？

台灣的國際處境不佳，不是從今天才開始，台灣不能有一點點骨氣嗎？也不過就是吃個牛肉吧。扁政府開放美國牛問了誰？不要說陳水扁沒問哪一個台灣人，衛生署彷彿沒事人般，進口就進口了，馬政府比照南韓政府開放，為什麼引發這麼大爭議？馬英九總統溫柔敦厚，唯一學不會的一門學科叫做：厚黑學！除了絞肉可能做成漢堡外，牛腦牛內臟誰敢吃？就算開放都沒人敢進口，即使進口都沒辦法賺錢，誰怕誰啊？奇怪的是，從決策到國會，沒人敢講任何話，前衛生署長葉金川認了，美國牛進口是他任內談定的事，葉為了選花蓮縣長卸任是三、四個多月前的事啊，馬政府是一個不敢開口說話的政府嗎？一個不敢與民溝通，動輒以機密相對的政府如何溝通？

立法院通過食品衛生管理法修正案，馬英九總統還得在傍晚親上火線，舉行記者會說明：修法案與台美議定書不符，後果由行政、立法兩院共同承擔！一句話，說了等於沒說，誰和總統共同承擔？立法院肯嗎？不要說藍綠立委，立法院長王金平肯與總統共同承擔嗎？總統有難，肯與立法院長剖心剖腹誠實以對嗎？

一年半多以來，對馬總統寄予厚望的輿論，已經多次發出悲鳴，恨鐵不成鋼的義憤之詞，車載斗量，罵總統成為最便利的批評法則，有道理嗎？身為國家元首，基本要求是：不貪汙，馬絕對做得到，但是，這叫基本要求，我們還要求身為總統之人，當斷則斷。多少人提出諍言：總統不能私心自用，總統必須廣納異言，馬總統聽進去了嗎？做為國家元首，是兩千三百萬人的統帥，馬總統應該想想：從府的角度，誰能幫你溝通國會、說服基層？從政的角度，誰能幫你解決麻煩、拉攏民代？從黨的角度，誰能幫你湖海一家、黑白通吃？為君難，為什麼難？因為是非在胸中，該用誰、該換誰，一把尺，用不用、換不換，不能有個人私誼與好惡，總統海納百川，百川者非一、二人，這不只是總統的問題，而是台灣的問題，總統既說要聽取國會之言，那就得言之行之，從今爾後，重大政策務必溝通先行，使命必達。