1) Formal negotiations on a trade pact with China may be possible in December.

Deputy economics minister Lin Sheng-chung made the remarks on Saturday. He said Taiwan's trade official Huang Chih-peng had completed informal discussions with China on principles related to the signing of an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA). Lin also said Taiwan and China had reached an initial consensus on entering formal negotiation process.

If this proves to be the case, the anticipated economic agreement could be on the agenda for upcoming cross-strait talks to be held in Taiwan in December, earlier than previously expected.

2) A former US representative to Taiwan says the row over US beef could delay possible talks for a US-Taiwan Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Former American Institute in Taiwan Director Douglas Paal was speaking in Washington DC on Thursday.

Taiwan's government recently lifted a six-year ban on the import of US ground beef, beef offal and beef on the bone. Many in Taiwan have called for a renegotiation of the agreement on the grounds that these products may carry a higher risk of mad cow disease.

Paal said however that the controversy is due to political interference. He said the government should have done more groundwork to allay public fears over the safety of US beef.
The former US representative said that he hoped the row would not harm US-Taiwan relations. He said however that he expected talks towards a US-Taiwan trade and investment agreement would have to wait until the row has died down.

Within Taiwan meanwhile the row over US beef continued to rumble on this week. Several legislators have proposed revisions to Taiwan's food safety laws which would effectively re-impose the previous ban on certain US beef products. President Ma Ying-jeou has warned however that not to honor the US-Taiwan protocol on beef would harm Taiwan's international reputation.

3) The Council of Agriculture (COA) said on Friday that the H1N1 virus recently detected among pigs in the eastern county of Taitung may have been transmitted by humans.

Results conducted on Thursday showed that the virus found in the pigs was the same as the H1N1 strain that affects humans. The results of tests on the farm's six workers showed that none were infected with the H1N1 flu. However, the council said that does not mean that the workers had not been infected previously.

Taiwan's Centers for Disease Control said that the pigs' feed could have been contaminated by an infected person.

The government has already reported the case to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).

4) Taiwan's envoy to the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, former Vice President Lien Chan, will meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao, Singaporean Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, and his son Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

A foreign ministry official made the announcement on Friday. He also said the ministry is arranging for Lien to meet with other leaders during the APEC forum.

This year's Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum is scheduled to open in Singapore on November 12. The forum will focus on sustainable growth and coordination in the region.