Taiwan's leader Ma Ying-Jeou has publicly expressed hope for the first time that he would try his best to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in Beijing next fall and meet with President Xi Jinping to push forward cross-Straits ties and make history.
In an interview with Asia Week, Ma Ying-Jeou highly praised the flexibility of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit and expressed his willingness to attend the APEC summit no matter where it is held.
However, Ma Ying-Jeou pointed out that any peace deal between Taiwan and Mainland China would have to be approved by his people in a referendum.
Earlier, Fan Li Qing, spokesman for Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said in a press conference on October 16, 2013 that their sending of Taiwanese representatives to the APEC informal leadership meeting would depend on the provisions of a relevant memorandum of understanding.
As for the possible meeting between the two leaders, a prior arrangement is not needed if it happens within the context of an international conference such as the APEC Summit.