Singapore - Taiwan hopes for early negotiations with China on a partial free-trade agreement - the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) - to institutionalize cross-strait trade and escape the growing pressure from other regional organizations.

"We hope we could complete the whole process in next year," said Taiwan's envoy Lien Chan on the sidelines of the annual summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in Singapore.

"If it goes smoothly, as we expect, we believe it is time for us to enter formal negotiations," he said, "maybe even in this year, hopefully."

"We will conduct our negotiations on the basis of fairness and equality," Lien said, noting that he did not anticipate "any insurmountable difficulties."

Taiwan has so far only been holding informal talks with China over the ECFA agreement, which would permit the free flow of various industrial products, services and capital between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.

ECFA was important for Taiwan as it institutionalized cross-strait trade, Lien said.

"It will also help us to avoid being further marginalized in regional and international trade," he added, as Taiwan was concerned about other regional organizations - like the Association of South-East Asian Nations - being expanded.

Lien, a former vice-president, was named by President Ma Ying-jeou as his proxy for the informal summit of the 21 APEC leaders in Singapore.

Taiwan has been unable to send any of its presidents to the APEC summit since it was held in the US in 1993 due to the opposition of China, which regards the island as a Chinese province not entitled to attend international events that require statehood.

Lien said that during the summit of the APEC leaders over the weekend there would be "quite a lot opportunities" to meet China's President Hu Jintao.

"We are anticipating that we will have the chance to exchange views," he said.

Talking about the cross-strait relations which warmed recently, Lien said he felt optimistic.

"We are making great progress not only in mitigating the so-called tensions across the strait, but actually promoting peace and understanding and cooperation," he said.

APEC consists of 21 Pacific Rim economies and includes Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Peru, Russia, the United States and Vietnam. (dpa)