--- title: China-Taiwan Meeting: What Happened the Last Time in 1945 description: "I am very optimistic" canonical: https://time.com/4099264/china-taiwan-meeting-1945-chiang-kai-shek-mao-zedong/ author: Rishi Iyengar article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-11-04T04:46:47.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:57:15.483Z article:section: History og:title: What Taiwan's Founder Said the Last Time Leaders of China and Taiwan Met og:description: Looking back 70 years on the eve of a historic meeting. og:url: https://time.com/4099264/china-taiwan-meeting-1945-chiang-kai-shek-mao-zedong/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt59a703595c0b9240/69886f7c5f570fd6f9b1e2a0/1101450903_400.jpg?branch=production&width=400&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 400 og:image:height: 225 og:image:alt: 1101450903_400 og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: What Taiwan's Founder Said the Last Time Leaders of China and Taiwan Met twitter:description: Looking back 70 years on the eve of a historic meeting. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt59a703595c0b9240/69886f7c5f570fd6f9b1e2a0/1101450903_400.jpg?branch=production&width=400&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # What Taiwan's Founder Said the Last Time Leaders of China and Taiwan Met > Sponsored content. 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They are at time.com/newsletters and are separate from a paid subscription. ## Video: China's Drift Towards a More Fragmented World [Watch (HLS stream): China's Drift Towards a More Fragmented World](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/jZ1U3aiv.m3u8) (2:49)  _Published 2015-06-02. Editor-at-large Ian Bremmer discusses China's financial growth and the challenges it faces in becoming the world's largest economy._ by [Rishi Iyengar](https://time.com/author/rishi-iyengar/) ## Rishi Iyengar Nov 4, 2015 4:46 AM UTC  Chiang Kai-shek on the cover of TIME's Sept. 3, 1945, issue Chiang Kai-shek on the cover of TIME's Sept. 3, 1945, issue by [Rishi Iyengar](https://time.com/author/rishi-iyengar/) ## Rishi Iyengar Nov 4, 2015 4:46 AM UTC China’s President Xi Jinping and his Taiwan counterpart Ma Ying-jeou will hold a historic [meeting](http://time.com/4099014/china-taiwan-meeting/?xid=homepage) in Singapore on Saturday, the first summit since the two sides separated in 1949 following a protracted civil war. The last meeting between leaders of the two parties — communist leader Mao Zedong and Taiwan’s Nationalist founder Chiang Kai-shek — was in September of 1945 before the civil war resumed following the defeat of Japanese forces. In the days approaching his meeting with Mao, the Generalissimo, as Chiang was commonly known, [told TIME](http://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,855220-1,00.html) he was “very optimistic” that peace and unity within China could be achieved at last and the country could be set firmly on the path of progress. “To me,” Chiang said at the time, “victory means the beginning of real reconstruction — economic and political — free from outside interference.” After sending two telegrams to Mao asking for a meeting in the southwestern city of Chongqing (then Chungking), the communist leader — who had intended to send his deputy Zhou Enlai rather than meet with Chiang himself — finally agreed on the third invitation. “Mr. Chiang Kai-shek … I appreciate your telegram,” Mao replied. “My humble self is most willing to come to Chungking.” As Xi and Ma sit down later this week in order to, in the words of the latter’s spokesperson, “solidify Taiwan-mainland relations,” the world will be watching — just like it was 70 years ago. 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