SINGAPORE (AP) — The leaders of Taiwan and China shook hands Saturday at a historic meeting marking the first top-level contact between the formerly bitter Cold War foes since they split amid civil war 66 years ago.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou came together on neutral ground in the Southeast Asian city-state of Singapore, walking toward each other in a hotel ballroom in front of a plain yellow backdrop flanked by palm trees.
The two men smiled broadly as they shook hands for more than one minute, turning slightly to the each side to accommodate a host of photo journalists in the ballroom.
Each leader hopes to seal his legacy as one who helped bring decades of division and mistrust to a mutually acceptable end. But, the meeting is more about the symbolism of coming together than about substance. Both sides have said no agreements will be signed or joint statements issued.
Comment count on this article reflects comments made on Breitbart.com and Facebook. Visit Breitbart's Facebook Page.