President Ma Ying-jeou reiterated Friday that he has requested China not to hinder or block Taiwan's bid to forge free trade agreements (FTAs) with other countries, but he did not indicate if he has received a response. 'As a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) , Taiwan is entitled to signing the FTAs, ' the president said while meeting a group of presidential advisers on industrial affairs. China has been said to be behind Taiwan's failed attempt to reach FTA arrangements with the world's major economic players. On the proposed economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) that his administration hopes to sign with China in June, Ma said it is a part of Taiwan's global economic strategy. 'The ECFA is just one important step in Taiwan participating in regional economic integration,' the president said. Taiwan stands a greater chance to strike FTAs with other countries after inking the trade pact with China, as it is expected to help Taiwan become stronger, establish better links with other parts of the Asia Pacific region, and reshape its global deployment. President Ma said he will personally lead a government task force to expedite Taiwan's FTA drive. He also told his advisers that the International Monetary Fund has recently forecast 6.5 percent economic growth for Taiwan this year, showing that the country is doing well in reviving its economy and the government also foresees continued improvement in the near future. 