Tsai told over 5,000 protestors in Taipei that the Ma government should "step down" if it did not dare to re-negotiate the pact, which politicians and civic groups of all partisan coloring have slammed as opening the door to the importation of U.S. beef products suspected of high risk of "mad cow disease" or "bovine spongiform encephalopathy" (BSE).

Saturday's protest "Against Poison Beef, Against a Sell-out and Against Deception," organized primarily by the DPP Tainan County government with the support of various Taiwan-centric civic groups and the DPP, began shortly after 2:00 p.m. from the Tinghao Plaza on Taipei's Zhongxiao East Road and ended with a rally at Ketagalan Plaza which concluded just after 6:00 p.m.

The marchers followed a "cattle head" truck upon which were hung effigies of U.S. beef products, including styrofoam "beef on bone" and "ground beef" and red tubing "intestines" and carried along with posters to "ban" U.S. beef and banners declaring "Incompetent Government Loses Our Sovereignty and Dignity."

Speaking before the march began, Tsai said the Ma government had signed the new protocol with the U.S. government without prior consultation with legislators, opposition parties or concerned consumer protection or health organizations and without the knowledge of most Taiwan citizens.

"This government's actions violated the principles of democracy and transparency," the DPP chairwoman stated.

Tsai said administrative measures announced by the Ma government to "control" U.S. beef imports were only "delaying tactics" and stated that the KMT legislative caucus had violated an agreement with the DPP caucus to include a ban on imports of high - risk beef products in revisions to the Food and Health Regulation Law.

Instead, Tsai said that the KMT legislative caucus, which has a nearly three-fourth's majority, will instead incorporate the liberalization promises of the U.S.-Taiwan beef import protocol into the domestic law and "tie up the Taiwan people."

"Today we have only one purpose, namely to demand new negotiations with the U.S.," said Tsai, who stated that the scope of U.S. beef imports must not be expanded before new talks take place.

"If the Ma government cannot do this, then we should ask them to please step down!" declared the DPP chairwoman.

Former premier and ex-DPP chairman Frank Hsieh, who lost to Ma in the March 2008 presidential election, stated that "the problem is not beef but a 'horse,"' referring to President Ma Ying-jeou, whose surname in Chinese means "horse."

"Since Ma become president, many things belonging to the Taiwan people, including our sovereignty, land and media have been sold out," stated Hsieh, who added that "Chinese capital has entered into Taipei 101" and "our health has been sold out to the United States."

Former premier Yu Shyi-kun stated the new protocol fell far short of similar agreements signed with other World Trade Organization members.

Yu stated that Japan had banned imports of U.S. beef from cattle older than 20 months and mandated inspection of beef products in the United States by Japanese specialists at the cost of the U.S., while the new protocol signed by the KMT government did not set any limit or permitted onsite inspection by Taiwan animal health professions.

Tainan County Commissioner Su Huan-chih stated that except Taiwan, "the entire world had banned imports of beef on bone, ground beef or intestines from areas suspected of infection by mad cow disease" and criticized as "defying logic" the decision by the Ma government to import the controversial goods despite opposition by lawmakers, mayors and civic groups across partisan lines."

"The most important goal of today's event is to tell the people that we can block imports of poison beef through domestic law if the Legislative Yuan truly reflects the will of the people," said Su, who called on the KMT caucus to abide by the consensus agreement and approve a ban on imports of high-risk beef goods from countries in which BSE infections have been reported. "We will see on Nov. 17 whether the KMT legislators and mayors truly oppose poison beef imports," said the DPP Tainan County mayor, who called on opponents of beef imports to "surround the Legislative Yuan" Tuesday.