Taiwan, China historic meet

Taiwan Vice President-elect Vincent Siew met briefly with Chinese President Hu Jintao on Saturday afternoon, a historic moment in strained China-Taiwan relations, with both saying they wanted closer economic ties.

China, which has about 170 allies, including the world’s most powerful nations, has claimed self-ruled Taiwan as its territory since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949 and pledged to bring the island under its rule, by force if necessary.

Political differences have effectively barred high-level contact between the two sides for the past six decades.

“The visit signals in concrete terms a beginning of detente across the Strait,” said Lin Chong-pin, a former Taiwan Government official said.