<div><p>Taiwan Wednesday urged its key ally the United States to "treasure" their relationship despite a dispute over the island's decision to ban imports of US ground beef over mad cow disease concerns.</p><p>"The amount of US beef imports that may be influenced... accounts for only a marginal two percent of Taiwan's total beef imports from the United States," government spokesman Su Jun-pin said in a statement.</p><p>"The United States should treasure its economic and trade ties with Taipei and continue promoting economic cooperation to the benefit of both sides."</p><p>The remarks came a day after Taiwan's parliament unanimously passed an amendment to the food health law banning imports of cow organs, minced beef and other items seen as high-risk such as spines and eyes.</p><p>The move -- backed by the ruling party and the opposition -- overturned a decision late last year to allow imports of US beef-on-the-bone, cow organs and minced beef. That decision had been met with a public outcry in Taiwan.</p><p>The US said in an earlier statement it was "deeply disappointed", warning that the decision could undermine Taiwan's credibility as a responsible trading partner.</p><p>Taiwan's economic minister Shih Yen-shiang has said the talks on trade and investment, originally scheduled for February, would be deferred.</p><p>Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou vowed to patch up ties with Washington, saying he hoped the fallout from the beef dispute would be limited to the trade area.</p><p>Taiwan banned all US beef imports in December 2003 over fears of mad cow disease. In 2006, Taipei relaxed the rules to permit imports of boneless beef.</p><p>Some scientists believe that consumption of the brains and spinal cords of animals infected with mad cow disease can lead to the potentially fatal Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans.</p><img src="http://admatch-syndication.mochila.com/images/ad.gif?aid=66327366&bid=informcom" /></div><div id="copyright"><div>

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