Taiwan's Ma says hopes China can use peace to resolve cross-strait issues

SINGAPORE: Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou said on Saturday that he hoped China can use peace, and not force, to resolve cross-strait issues, and that Taiwan's people were most concerned with the island's security and dignity.

Ma said in a news conference in Singapore that he told China's President Xi Jinping to give attention to the mainland's missile deployment. Xi replied that the missile deployment was an issue unrelated to Taiwan, Ma said.

Leaders of political rivals China and Taiwan met on Saturday for the first time in more than 60 years for talks that come amid rising anti-Beijing sentiment on the self-ruled democratic island and weeks ahead of elections there.

The talks between Xi and Ma, the first such meeting since China's civil war ended in 1949, were held in Singapore.