The secretary-general of Taiwan's ruling Kuomintang briefly met US President Bill Clinton after the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington.
John Chang Hsiao-yen met Mr Clinton in a 'very cordial atmosphere' Taiwan's TVBS cable television network said.
Mr Chang also spoke to Newt Gingrich, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and invited him to make another trip to Taiwan.
'We needed to relay the latest, detailed situation in Taiwan to them, to enable them to gain a clearer understanding,' Mr Chang said after seeing Mr Clinton.
'They were very concerned about cross-strait relations,' he said.
Details of Mr Chang's discussions with Mr Clinton were unavailable.
The meeting is likely to annoy Beijing, which claims Taiwan is unqualified to conduct diplomacy of any kind.