Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou clarified speculations that his upcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Singapore was a move to garner votes for his party ahead of the island's elections in January, saying that the talks were meant to "normalize" ties with China.

The meeting, to be held Saturday, will be the first such meeting after 66 years since before the Chinese Communist revolution of 1949 and the retreat of Chinese Nationalists across the Taiwan Strait.

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Taiwanese diplomatic officials in Beijing said the meeting between the two leaders will focus on promoting development as well as discussion on the issue of cross-strait differences that have characterized the two nations' relations.

The director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, Zhang Zhijun, said the meeting had been arranged "given the situation of the irresolution of cross-strait political differences."

President Ma said the meeting would be transparent and that no private promises will be made during the two-day visit of President Xi in Singapore. Singapore is hosting the talks and has good relations with both sides.

"This is not about an election, but is based on the consideration of the happiness of the next generation," said Ma during his first public speech announcing the meeting Tuesday night.

Speculations on Ma's motives in arranging a meeting with President Xi stemmed from the poor showing of his pro-China Kuomintang party in the presidential and parliamentary polls scheduled in January.

Surveys showed that Ma's pro-China Kuomintang Party is losing to the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which pushes for independence from China.

"This meeting is for the Republic of China's (Taiwan's) future, the future of cross-strait ties," Ma said in a press conference.

"We will explain the actual situation to Mr. Xi, particularly tell them about Taiwan's status so they can better understand and take in full consideration when they  formulate Taiwan,cross-strait policies."

The Cross-Strait relations are the relations between mainland China and Taiwan, which are separated by the Taiwan Strait in the West Pacific Ocean and, in particular, between their respective governments.

China considers Taiwan a breakaway province and has been quoted as saying that it will get back Taiwan through force if it attempts to push for independence.

TagsTaiwan, Ma Ying-jeou, Cross-Strait Relations, Taiwan presidential and parliamentary elections