Taiwan Says Meeting With China's Xi Jinping to Further Normalise Cross-Strait Ties

Taipei, Taiwan: A weekend meeting between the leaders of Taiwan and China is aimed at further normalising relations between the two sides, Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou said today.

Ma was speaking at a news conference ahead of the talks in Singapore scheduled on Saturday with Chinese President Xi Jinping, the first such meeting of the two political rivals since the Chinese civil war ended in 1949.

It coincides with rising anti-China sentiment in Taiwan ahead of presidential and parliamentary polls in January, at which Ma's Kuomintang party is likely to lose to the Democratic Progressive Party, which traditionally favours independence from China.

Talks at such a time could help reduce hostilities in the short term, Ma said, adding that he hoped future leaders of Taiwan would be able to hold such meetings.