AKIPRESS.COM - Chinese President Xi Jinping and Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou are set to hold historic talks in Singapore, The Kathmandu Post reports.

It is the first time since the Chinese Civil War ended in 1949 that the leaders from both sides have met.

China views Taiwan as a breakaway province which will one day be reunited with the mainland, by force if needed.

There were protests in Taipei and one group tried to enter Taiwan's parliament building. There were arrests at the city's airport.

The arrests came as Ma left for Singapore on Saturday morning. Protesters tried to set fire of images of him and Xi.

"As a president who doesn't represent public opinion, Ma doesn't have the right to meet with the leader across the strait," one man, Chen, said.

A small group supporting Ma also turned up at Taipei's Songshan airport.

Relations have improved under Ma since he took office in 2008, with better economic ties, improving tourism links, and a trade pact signed.

The two sides split in 1949 when the Kuomintang lost to the Chinese Communist Party in the civil war and set up a new government in Taiwan.

The meeting is taking place on the sidelines of a state visit by Xi to Singapore.

No major agreements or deals are expected to be reached, but Ma has said talks would be aimed at promoting peace and finding ways to reduce hostilities, such as removing Chinese missiles targeted at Taiwan.