"I hope my attendance at the upcoming summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum will contribute to the negotiations and eventual signing of the proposed cross-strait economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) , " said Kuomintang (KMT) Honorary Chairman Lien Chan, the former vice president who will represent Taiwan at the annual APEC event.

Speaking at a news conference, Lien said he will hold bilateral talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao on the sidelines of the APEC summit, set to take place Nov. 14-15 in Singapore.

As Taiwanese and Chinese officials in charge of economic affairs are all attending the annual APEC Leaders' Week activities in the Southeast Asian city-state that began Nov. 8, Lien said the occasion presents a good opportunity for the two sides to strike conclusions on various points in terms of previous rounds of informal talks on ECFA-related topics.

"I will help arrange for officials from the two sides to exchange views on ECFA issues on the APEC sidelines, " Lien said, adding that such consultations will help pave the way for the two sides to enter formal negotiations on the agreement.

Like free trade agreements signed between many countries around the world, an ECFA would permit the freer cross-strait flow of many goods, services and capital. Nevertheless, Taiwan's government has said the pact will not include agricultural goods and will not allow Chinese laborers to enter Taiwan, to minimize any possible adverse impact of the pact.

Asked whether he will touch on political issues -- such as the signing of a cross-strait peace agreement and the establishment of a military trust mechanism -- in his talks with Hu, Lien pointed out that it would be inappropriate for him to bring up such topics at the APEC occasion.

"The most important thing in cross-strait engagements now is to work out major economic issues that have been delayed for a long time," said Lien, who is scheduled to depart for Singapore Thursday.

Noting that the proposed ECFA is crucial to Taiwan, Lien said such a pact will not only help prevent Taiwan from being marginalized in this era of increasing economic integration but will also help institutionalize cross-strait trade and economic relations on an equal footing.

Although critics have said a cross-strait ECFA deal could make Taiwan more reliant on China economically and even eventually undermine Taiwan's sovereign status, Lien said an ECFA deal with China would facilitate Taiwan's bid to sign free trade agreements with other APEC member economies.

As to whether he will touch on Taiwan's bid to expand international participation in his talks with Hu, Lien said the goal cannot be materialized hurriedly and instead will require long-term hard work.

President Ma Ying-jeou has listed joining the International Civil Aviation Organization and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change as two of his administration's diplomatic goals.

Lien recalled that he mentioned Taiwan's aspiration to join the World Health Assembly -- the World Health Organization's decision-making body -- in his first meeting with Hu in Beijing in 2005. After years of concerted efforts, Taiwan finally managed to attend the WHA as an observer earlier this year.

"The administration's goals could be realized through dialogue with mutual understanding, goodwill, sincerity and trust," Lien said.

Meanwhile, he dismissed a media report that he will propose at the APEC summit the establishment an APEC typhoon research center in Taiwan, noting that it is not the norm in the international community that a proposal is formally brought up before bilateral and multilateral consultations have taken place.

"As many Asia-Pacific countries are liable to being struck by typhoons, I might broach some response strategies at the upcoming meeting... But it would be another issue to directly suggest creating a research center in Taiwan," he added.

In addition to attending two plenary sessions with the top leaders of all the other APEC member economies during the two-day summit, Lien will also attend panel sessions with some other leaders and he will also hold bilateral or multilateral talks with selected leaders.

Asked whether he will bring up controversial beef trade issues with U.S. President Barack Obama should the opportunity present itself, Lien said he has not been directed to discuss this topic.

The government's recent decision to allow imports of U.S. bone-in beef and beef products from cattle under 30 months of age has drawn flak amidst panic over mad cow disease, but Lien said he supports the government's attitude of upholding the newly signed Taiwan-U.S.

trade protocol in line with the spirit of the World Trade Organization and the World Animal Health Organization.

This will be the second consecutive year that Lien has represented Taiwan at the APEC leaders summit.

He also attended last year's summit in Peru, which made him the highest-ranking former Republic of China official ever allowed to take part in the annual summit.

In 1991, Taiwan gained full membership of the 21-member APEC, one of the few major international organizations that admits both Taiwan and China. Taiwan's presidents, however, have never attended the summit meetings in person as a result of pressure from Beijing, but instead have named special envoys who attend on their behalf.

(By Garfie Li and Sofia Wu)