TAIPEI (AFP) – Thousands of protesters marched through the Taiwanese capital Taipei on Saturday to protest against resuming imports of certain US beef products, over fears of the spread of mad cow disease.

Taiwan last month decided to lift a ban on US beef-on-the-bone and cow organs, sparking accusations that the government had ignored concerns over mad cow disease, the common name for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).

“Our only demand is that the government renegotiate (with the US) to safeguard public health,” Tsai Ing-wen, head of the main opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which led the march, told the crowd.

“We cannot allow more imports before further negotiations,” she said.

Tsai led the marchers under a huge green banner reading “oppose toxic beef, oppose sell-out, oppose deceit”.

The DPP has accused the authorities of bowing to pressure from Washington to downplay the alleged health risks of certain US beef products.

“The government’s standards are too loose. It is acting recklessly to disregard the people’s health,” said a 50-year-old protester surnamed Hsu.

The government has faced an uphill battle to persuade a sceptical public, with leading consumer groups and opposition politicians pushing for a referendum on re-imposing the beef-on-the-bone import ban.

Taiwan banned all US beef imports in December 2003 after reports of mad cow disease. In 2006, Taipei relaxed the rules to permit imports of boneless beef.

Some scientists believe that consumption of the brains and spinal cords of animals infected with BSE can lead to the potentially fatal Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans.