Washington: The United States welcomed today the upcoming landmark meeting between Chinese President Hu Jintao and Taiwan's vice president-elect Vincent Siew, saying it was "the best way forward" to settling cross-strait tensions.

"We think that dialogue between the People's Republic of China and the authorities, leaders on Taiwan (island) is the best way forward," Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte said when asked to comment on the talks.

Siew arrived today at the Boao resort, on the east coast of the tropical Chinese island of Hainan, where he was scheduled to meet for 20 minutes with Hu tomorrow as part of the Taiwanese delegation.

Siew said today he hoped to "melt the ice" with China in the much-anticipated meeting, described as the highest-level direct contact between Beijing and Taipei since the two sides split at the end of a civil war in 1949.

Negroponte said the United States was committed to stability in the Taiwan Strait.

"We believe that the best way to settle differences over the Taiwan Strait is by peaceful means," he said.

"So yes, I would say that this is a good way forward," he added of the Hu-Siew meeting at the sidelines of the Boao Forum for Asia, a regional gathering.

Although Taiwan has ruled itself since the split from China nearly six decades ago, Beijing still claims sovereignty over the island.

Siew was Ma Ying-jeou's running mate when the Beijing-friendly Kuomintang candidate won Taiwan's presidential election last month.

Source : PTI