Taiwan: No quid pro quo for lifting US beef ban

TAIPEI, Taiwan

Taiwan's president says the island has not received anything in exchange for lifting a long-standing ban on the imports of certain U.S. beef cuts.

Ma Ying-jeou's statement Wednesday comes amid intense local opposition to his recent decision to end the six-year-old ban on bone-in beef, minced beef and offal.

Some Taiwanese speculated that in exchange for the action Taiwan had received concessions from the U.S. on requests to join the American visa waiver program or enter into a treaty with the U.S. on the extradition of criminal suspects.

But Ma says the island did not raise the issues during the beef talks because a quid pro quo would "diminish Taiwan's friendly gesture" on the beef ban.

The U.S. is one of Taiwan's biggest trade partners.