Taiwan's vice president-elect is due to hold a historic meeting with China's president.

Vincent Siew is to meet Hu Jintao on Saturday as head of a Taiwan delegation visiting the south Chinese island of Hainan for the Boao Forum for Asia.

The forum is a gathering that China hopes to transform into a regional version of the Davos meetings.

Siew's meeting with Hu, expected to last just 20 minutes, is the highest-level encounter between China and Taiwan since the two sides split at the end of a civil war in 1949.

"I hope that through this meeting we can deepen the understanding between the two sides and also create a basis for common trust," Siew said on Friday.

"It's also my hope that through this meeting we can help melt the ice."

Siew, the running mate of Taiwan president-elect Ma Ying-jeou, has not yet assumed office after last month's elections.

Major test

The meeting is seen as the first major test of the incoming Ma administration's ability to bring about better ties with China, a promise that was considered decisive in Ma's poll victory.

Ma, the more China-friendly of two candidates in last month's Taiwan election, has vowed to improve relations with the mainland, increase trade, tourism and transport links, and work on a peace treaty to end hostilities.

China has become Taiwan's number one export market and its biggest trading partner.

Two-way trade last year reached a record $102bn. The US has welcomed the meeting, describing it as the "best way forward".

"We think that dialogue between the People's Republic of China and the authorities, leaders on Taiwan is the best way forward," John Negroponte, the US deputy secretary of state, in Washington, said.

PHOTO CAPTION

Taiwan Vice President-elect Vincent Siew waves on arrival at the Meilan Airport in Haikou in southern China's Hainan province on April 11.

Al-Jazeera