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Sidney Leng

As China's Xi Jinping and Taiwan’s Ma Ying-jeou prepare for their historic meeting in Singapore this Saturday, the thorny question of how they will address each other and what etiquette should be observed looms large.
Both are presidents but any suggestion or behaviour inferring that Taiwan is separate state under the “One China” principle will stir up a hornet’s nest.
Taiwan will also want to ensure that its leader Ma Ying-jeou is treated equally and with dignity during the summit with Xi Jinping.
So how will the two leaders get round these difficulties during the meeting?
A few clues may be found by studying a meeting in 1993 in Singapore between semi-official bodies from mainland China and Taiwan which helped thaw icy relations between the two former adversaries.
Koo Chen-fu from Taiwan and Wang Daohan from the mainland took part in the talks and every part of the meeting was meticulously planned.
Here are some of the ways they ensured that no noses were put out of joint.
Doors and elevators:
 The Wang-Koo Summit took place in a two-door conference room so they could enter from separate doors. They also took two different lifts to get to the meeting. The arrangement ensured they arrived in the room at the same time.
Order of business:
Koo and Wang held a brief meeting before heading to the conference room. Mainland China had proposed the meeting so it was initially decided that Koo should go to see Wang first as a courtesy. In the end, Wang sent a representative to Koo’s rooms to invite him to the short meeting.
Seating arrangements:
The Wang-Koo Summit lasted three days. During the first meeting, the mainland team sat facing the door, a sign in traditional Chinese culture that it was the host. Taiwan’s team sat with their back to the door as “guests”. They switched sides during the second meeting to show “equality”.

Documents and signatures:
The documents for the talks were prepared in two versions: in simplified Chinese characters for the mainland delegation and in traditional Chinese characters for Taiwan officials. Koo and Wang signed four agreements. The simplified Chinese versions were headed “Wang-Koo Summit” and Wang’s signatures were at the front. The Taiwan documents were headed “Koo-Wang Summit” and Koo’s signatures were most prominent.
Diplomatic niceties:
After their arrival in Singapore, Wang and Koo met separately with the city state’s founding father Lee Kuan Yew at welcoming banquets. It avoided the problem of them both attending the same event, but one getting a more prominent seat next to Lee.  
Handshakes:
Before the talks started, the press asked Wang and Koo to shake hands as a photo opportunity. They seemed happy to do so. They shook hands four times. This created a tradition of handshakes at future cross-strait talks.


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Mainland China's Wang Daohan and Taiwan's Koo Chen-fu shake hands at the Singapore talks in 1993. Photo: SCMP Pictures

Wang and Koo in a lighter moment at the talks. Photo: SCMP Pictures

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President Xi Jinping (left) and Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou will meet in Singapore on Saturday. Photos: AP, AFP

Staff at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore prepare for Saturday's meeting of President Xi Jinping (left) and Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou. Photo: Zhen Liu

One of the ballrooms at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore. Photo: Zhen Liu

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Another of the ballrooms inside the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore. Photo: Zhen Liu

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