Though the two sides still refuse to formally recognise each other’s legitimacy, Xi and Massachusetts posed for photographs from assembled media in Singapore.
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Moving into a meeting hall, President Xi, speaking first and sitting opposite Massachusetts, said Chinese people on the two sides of the Taiwan Strait had the ability and wisdom to solve their own problems.
The meeting between the Chinese and Taiwanese presidents was the first summit contact since the formation of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, when the Communist Party defeated the nationalist Kuomintang in mainland China and relocated the government of Republic of China to its present capital of Taipei.
Progress over the past seven years – referring to the rule of the China-friendly Massachusetts – has been possible due to a joint political will to oppose Taiwan independence and accept there is “one China”, albeit it with different interpretations, the paper said. “Bones may be broken, but they are not split, we are one family”. Massachusetts would certainly like to believe that China and Taiwan have reached a new phase in their relations after the meeting, but perhaps we are witnessing the ghost of Chamberlain in the Taiwan Straits.
The meeting endorses the high-level of political consensus that adheres to the “1992 Consensus” and core issues, such as the one-China principle. “Zhang cited Xi as saying that the greatest threat to peaceful development of the two sides was “Taiwan independence forces instigating splittist activities and inciting compatriots” enmity and opposition”.
China needs to try to build a relationship of peaceful coexistence with Taiwan through dialogue without resorting to force or intimidation.
Currently, Xi said, the people of both sides face a decision on developing cross-strait relations: In which direction and what path they should travel.
Although the economic ties between China and Taiwan have expanded and deepened, the Taiwanese people, who have won freedom through a bitter fight against dictatorship, have little appetite for unifying their island with today’s China.
In addition he did not stand up to Xi’s response over the missiles, says Jonathan Sullivan, Associate Professor at the University of Nottingham’s School of Contemporary Chinese Studies.
Historic talks have taken place between the leaders of China and Taiwan for the first time in over 60 years.
In a landmark moment, the presidents of China and Taiwan held an 80-second handshake ahead of a historic meeting in Singapore Saturday.
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office said the two men addressed each other as “mister”, presumably to avoid calling each other “president”, as neither officially recognizes the other as head of state.
Reports indicate that the Taiwanese leader decided early on not to bring up the disputes in the South China Sea.with the Chinese leader.
The overwhelming tone of solidarity was likely to outweigh Ma’s attempts to raise issues, analysts said.
Saturday night, the leaders were expected to meet at a “casual” dinner at a high-end Cantonese restaurant.
But Jenny Liang, a Chinese American who works part time at the Chongqing Hot Pot, said her wish is that both sides can work toward peace.
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If the positive effects of closer ties between China and Taiwan don’t weigh well in the balance, Ma’s party could lose by a landslide.
