Wu made the remarks amid ferocious criticism from opponents about the government's decision to allow the entry of U.S. bone-in beef, ground beef, some offal and processed beef from cattle younger than 30 months and that have not been contaminated with "specific risk materials." During an inspection tour of a post-Typhoon Morakot reconstruction site in central Taiwan's Nantou County, Wu said the government has consistently factored in public health and the interests of local cattle raisers in its negotiations with the United States on beef trade issues.

In addition to following World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) regulations in deleting tonsils and the distal ileum of the small intestine from cattle of all ages from the permitted import list, Wu said the government has further imposed an import ban on brains, spinal cords, eyes and skulls.

"One of our top guidelines in U.S. beef trade negotiations has been that we will not relax restrictions beyond what have been applied in the U.S. proper, the European Union, Canada and South Korea, " Wu argued, adding that the government has not budged from this stance in the whole process.

Asked about his views on a plan by Yunlin County cattle farmers to stage a protest at the Executive Yuan against the new market-opening measures, Wu said he respects their right to express their opinions.

Nevertheless, he pointed out, locally produced beef only accounts for about 7 percent of annual domestic beef consumption, far lower than South Korea's 30 percent.

Against this backdrop, the premier went on, the government's decision to allow imports of U.S. bone-in beef should have even less of an impact on local cattle farmers than that experienced by their South Korean counterparts.

Wu further said the government will adopt measures to help tide local cattle farmers over the challenges they might encounter after U.S. bone-in beef is allowed to enter the local market next month.

The premier also took advantage of the occasion to clarify reports that he said during his tenure as a legislator that a decision to open the domestic market to U.S. bone-in beef should be approved by the Legislative Yuan.

"What I said at the time was that the executive branch should consult with the legislature before coming up with a decision on the beef trade," Wu argued.

The Department of Health (DOH) announced Oct. 23 that Taiwan would expand market access for U.S. beef after officials of the two countries clinched an accord the previous day in Washington, D.C. to lift a partial ban on U.S. beef imports.

Under the terms of the new accord, U.S. bone-in beef, ground beef, intestines, brains, spinal cords and processed beef from cattle younger than 30 months and that have not been contaminated with "specific risk materials" will be allowed to enter Taiwan starting Nov. 10.

Specific risk materials are defined in the protocol as the brain, skull, eyes, trigeminal ganglia, spinal cord, vertebral column and dorsal root ganglia from cattle 30 months of age and older, or tonsils and the distal ileum of the small intestine from cattle of all ages.

At present, Taiwan only allows imports of U.S. boneless beef from cattle younger than 30 months that contain no specified risk materials.

The new market opening decision has since drawn flak from opposition parties and consumer rights activists.

Opposition Democratic Progressive Party spokesman Tsai Chi-chang said Sunday that President Ma Ying-jeou should be held accountable for the decision.

Citing a newspaper report, Tsai said it was Ma who made the decision under strong U.S. pressure to allow the expanded imports.

"Therefore, Ma owes the public a detailed explanation of the reasons behind his decision," Tsai said.

Meanwhile, Wu Jia-cheng, secretary-general of the non-government Consumers Foundation, said the decision will inflict permanent harm on Taiwan's environment and public health.

Moreover, he went on, the government has not been transparent in its decision-making process.

Claiming that the Presidential Office and the National Security Council had interfered with the DOH's professional judgment about the issue, Wu said this has violated the norms of a democratic country.

Wu said the Consumers Foundation is planning to collaborate with other civic groups in pushing the government to back off on its new market-opening stance in order to better protect public health.

Chen Shun-sheng, a Chang Gung University professor, said the government should seek to add a provision to the newly signed beef trade accord that will demand that the U.S. Department of Agriculture must offer damages or compensation if its Quality System Assessment certificates are proved to be untruthful or wrong.

(By Lin Heng-li, Yang Su-min, Chen Li-ting and Sofia Wu)