President Ma Ying-jeou vowed Tuesday to implement some parts of a protocol on U.S. beef imports to secure the support of Taiwan's important trade and security partner after the country's legislature amended a law that could harm bilateral ties. The legislature earlier in the day passed an amendment to the Act Governing Food Sanitation that bans certain beef products from countries with documented mad cow disease cases over the past decade. This move bars similar beef products from the U.S., as the American country reported its first case in 2003. At present, Taiwan does not ban imports of U.S. boneless beef. Ma worked to minimize the impact of the legislation at a press conference held hours after the announcement of its passage. Downplaying the controversy as 'an agricultural trade dispute,' Ma expressed hope that 'the impact of this dispute will be restricted to trade and will not spread to other areas.' Ma also said the high level of mutual trust built between Taiwan and the U.S. on security and political matters was 'hard-earned' in the 19 months since he took office. Therefore, he said, he does not wish to see a negative impact in this regard in particular. However, Minister of Economic Affairs Shih Yen-hsiang said earlier in the day that a much-anticipated meeting on the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) will not take place in early February as planned. Ma also assured the U.S. that Taiwan will fulfill at least some of its responsibilities on the U.S.-Taiwan protocol on U.S. beef by 'putting into force the implementable parts of the protocol soon.' In other words, Taiwan will allow imports of U.S. bone-in beef from cattle aged under 30 months. The legislature's move prompted the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) -- which represents U.S. interests in Taiwan -- to express 'deep regret.' 'This action also undermines Taiwan's credibility as a responsible trading partner and will make it more difficult for us to conclude future agreements to expand and strengthen bilateral trade and economic ties going forward, ' said AIT spokesman Christopher Kavanagh. Nevertheless, Ma said the legislature was under huge pressure from the public that is seriously concerned about the safety of U.S. ground beef and beef offal. Taiwan and the U.S. will hold a new round of consultations within 180 days of the October signing of the protocol, Ma went on, adding that the government will use the consultations to communicate with the U.S. He also admitted that the government had failed to address the public's concerns, although he pointed out that the government had looked at the scientific evidence regarding beef safety before signing the protocol. The existing measures put place by Taiwan to bar high-risk beef products from entering Taiwan failed to stop the legislature from passing the amendment. Asked by reporters who should take the blame for the dispute and whether there is a crisis for the government, which has been widely criticized for a series of policy blunders, Ma replied that his government needs to first solve the possible fallout surrounding U.S.-Taiwan relations and will work on communication. Ma's administration is also facing harsh criticism over its negotiations with China over a proposed economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA). He promised that the government will make the process 'more transparent' in an effort to allay the public concerns. The beef dispute is unlikely to end any time soon, as various civic groups are trying to initiate a referendum to demand that the government renegotiate the protocol with the U.S. The legislature also passed a resolution Tuesday asking the government to follow the outcome of any proposed referendum on the issue in the future. 