China, Taiwan to hold first-of-its-kind meet since end of civil war

President Xi Jinping will meet his Taiwanese counterpart Ma Ying-jeou in Singapore on Saturday in the first such meeting between the leaders of the two countries since 1949 when the civil war ended with Taiwan claiming independence.

Official statements from both sides confirmed the historic weekend summit with Beijing saying that the meeting would take place under a “pragmatic arrangement” aligned with the “One-China principle”.

The Communist Party of China (CPC) defeated the Nationalist or Kuomintang army in the civil war that ended in 1949. Subsequently, the nationalists under Chiang Kai-shek retreated to the island of Taiwan and proclaimed independence. Since then, China has claimed Taiwan to be part of its territory though the island nation is independent country with a democratic set up.

Most countries in the world, including India, follow the “One-China policy” and do not officially recognise Taiwan as an independent country.

Ma will fly to Singapore to meet Xi, while the Chinese President is heading there to commemorate 25 years of bilateral relations between China and Singapore.

“They (the two leaders) will exchange views on promoting the peaceful development of crossStrait relations,” Zhang Zhijun, head of the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central Committee and Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said.

Zhang said the meeting will take place despite “cross-Strait political differences” not being resolved. “Relevant departments of the two sides have decided through consultation that the meeting will be made in the name of leaders of the mainland and Taiwan,” official news agency Xinhua quoted Zhang as saying, adding “…it is a pragmatic arrangement in accordance with the one-China principle while cross-Strait political difference has not been resolved”.