Xi Jinping and Ma Ying-jeou will meet in Singapore on 7 November. It is the first meeting between the two heads of state since "Republic of China" moved on the island in 1949. But spokesman: "No agreement will be signed." The aim is to maintain peaceful relations and ensure the status quo in the Taiwan Strait. Protests of Taiwan’s opposition party.

Taipei (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Saturday, November 7th, Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou and the Chinese Xi Jinping will meet in Singapore. The first ever meeting between the leaders of mainland China and the island since 1949 was confirmed last night by Ma’s spokesman Charles Chen, who told Taiwanese media that the president will leave for Singapore on the same day to meet Xi Jinping, who will be on official visit to the city state from November 6.

"The purpose of President Ma’s visit - Chen said - is to ensure peaceful "cross-strait " relations [technical name of the relationship between the"People’s Republic of China "and the" Republic of China ", ed] and to guarantee the status quo in the Taiwan Strait. No agreement will be signed and will not be published any joint statement."

The meeting was scheduled after several weeks of bilateral dialogue. The Taiwanese Council for relations with mainland China held a press conference today on the subject, and tomorrow President Ma will answer questions from international journalists. During the meeting, Ma Ying-jeou and Xi Jinping will not be called "president" but only "mister", because neither of them officially recognize the other’s position.

It is the second time that Singapore has mediated between the parties. In 1993, the country hosted the first public meeting between China and Taiwan (without the presence of the leaders) to restart business and private links.

Ma Ying-jeou is the leader of the Kuomintang party, which under the leadership of Chiang Kai-shek n 1949 lost the civil war to the Communist Party of Mao Tse-tung, resulting in the Chinese government's "official" transfer on the island of Formosa (Taiwan). The opposition Democratic Progressive Party, is protesting the scheduled visit, saying that "the people of Taiwan will not accept such a meeting."

• TAIWAN
• CHINA
• MEETING
• PRESIDENTS