"Many countries around the world have been actively negotiating bilateral or multilateral free trade agreements (FTA) , we cannot afford to buck this trend, " Ma said at the opening of a global business conference.

Noting that the proposed ECFA with China is similar to the provisions of FTAs among other countries, Ma said he believes the cross-strait ECFA can help pave the way for Taiwan to participate in international organizations and multilateral economic integration.

Addressing the 400-plus participants in the seventh Global Chinese Business Leader Summit, sponsored by the Taipei-based Global View Monthly, Ma noted that cross-strait commercial exchanges have grown even more robust in the past year.

China used to account for about 24 percent of Taiwan's exports, but the figure has now grown to 40 percent, Ma said, adding that the number of direct cross-strait flights has also increased to 270 per week.

"All these figures indicate the vitality of cross-strait trade, " Ma said.

However, increased economic exchanges require a well-designed framework or system to handle many important issues, such as tariff concessions and investment disputes, in an orderly way, he added.

After signing many critical agreements on direct cross-strait transport links, food safety and judicial assistance in previous rounds of high-level talks, Ma said, the two sides will discuss many other topics, including fishery cooperation, product inspection criteria and avoidance of double taxation, in the upcoming fourth round of talks.

Noting that Taiwan wants to resolve differences or disputes with China through negotiations, Ma said his administration will never compromise on Taiwan's sovereign status in cross-strait engagements.

In the process, his administration will endeavor to bring benefits to the people of Taiwan, he promised.

He said that Taiwan used to be considered a troublemaker because of his predecessor's pursuit of de jure Taiwan independence, but that after less then 20 months in office his administration has succeeded in converting Taiwan's image into that of a peacemaker.

Looking to the future, Ma said he hopes Taiwan will be admitted to the International Civil Aviation Organization and the United Nations Climate Change Secretariat following its success in taking part in the World Health Assembly in May this year.

Touching on the six new star industries that his administration has selected for intensive development, Ma said the green energy industry will definitely play a leading role in cross-strait industrial cooperation in the future.

"Although Taiwan is small, it is full of ingenuity and vitality.

We are convinced that we will be able to emerge as a key player in the clean energy field," Ma said.

Stressing that his administration has learned much from the global financial crisis and the flap in the wake of Typhoon Morakot in August, Ma said he is cautiously optimistic that Taiwan will be able to achieve an economic growth rate of between 3 percent and 4 percent next year as predicted by the Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics.

(By Pn Shu-ting and Sofia Wu)