Taiwan’s leader Ma Ying-jeou and Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet in Singapore on Saturday, the BBC reported. This is the first such meeting in the 66 years since the communist revolution, when the Chinese Nationalists fled to the island across the Taiwan Strait. China has claimed sovereignty over Taiwan ever since. The two leaders are expected to discuss development and other exchanges during Xi’s two-day visit to Singapore, which is seen as neutral ground for both sides.

A spokesperson for Ma announced the meeting late Tuesday night. The ties between the two have improved since 2008, when Ma took over. The meeting is being seen as a sign that the Chinese government fears the relationship will deteriorate if Ma’s Nationalist Party loses to its pro-independence opposition in the upcoming Taiwanese elections.