Taiwan And China In A Historic Meeting

Pro-Taiwan independence activists protest on November 5 outside the hotel in Taipei where Beijing's key envoy to the island, Chen Yunlin, was attending a dinner. Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou has made history by becoming the island's first leader to meet with a senior Chinese official since the end of a civil war between the two in 1949. (AFP/Sam Yeh)

Taiwan President In Historic Meeting With
Chinese Envoy -- Yahoo News/AFP

TAIPEI (AFP) – Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou made history Thursday when he became the island's first leader to meet with a senior Chinese official since the end of a civil war in 1949.

Ma greeted Beijing's top negotiator on Taiwanese affairs, Chen Yunlin, at a government guest house in central Taipei amid tight security as thousands of rowdy anti-China protesters vented their fury outside the venue.

The two men shook hands and exchanged gifts.

Chen presented Ma with an ink painting of a horse, as "ma" is Chinese for horse. In his only comment during the meeting, the Chinese official told Ma: "This is by a master artist."

Ma, who earlier this year became the island's third democratically elected president since 1996, gave Chen a ceramic vase, making no audible comment as he did so.

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My Comment: This is history in the making. Both countries can now never go back to where they were before.