Taiwan's opposition says Ma-Xi meeting without democratic oversight

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan's main opposition political party called on President Ma Ying-jeou to calm anxiety over his planned meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday, the first leaders meeting in 66 years, and assure people it will not affect Taiwan's status. Wu said the failure to notify key parliamentary leaders in Taiwan about the meeting planned for Singapore meant it does not meet the principle of democratic oversight or transparency. "This kind of situation needs to be explained fully to the people and calm down the anxiety of the people in Taiwan that President Ma has not overpromised China anything that would hamper Taiwan's current status and its long term interests," Joseph Wu, secretary-general of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), told Reuters by phone Wednesday. The meeting in Singapore will be the first between the two sides since the Chinese civil war ended in 1949. Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalists fled to Taiwan following their defeat by Mao Zedong's Communists at the end of the Chinese civil war. Since then Taiwan has been self-ruled. But Beijing still regards Taiwan as part of China. (Reporting by J.R. Wu; Editing by Michael Perry)