Beijing - Chinese President Hu Jintao on Friday met two leading Taiwanese politicians in the latest sign of improving diplomatic ties across the Taiwan Strait.

Hu met separately with Lien Chan, the honorary chairman of Taiwan's ruling Kuomintang (KMT or Nationalist Party), and People First Party Chairman James Soong, both of whom were scheduled to attend the opening ceremony of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing later on Friday.

State media gave no details of any talks between Hu and Lien and Soong, and state media portrayed the meetings as "party to party" rather than diplomatic events.

Hu is also the leader of China's ruling Communist Party.

More than 100 top politicians and members of royal families, including 80 heads of state, were scheduled to attend the Olympic opening.

The visits of Lien and Soong during the Olympics come amid improving ties across the Taiwan Strait since President Ma Ying-jeou's KMT party won an election earlier this year.

Ma took office in March, replacing former president Chen Shui-bian, who China had ostracized and accused of promoting formal independence for the island that the Communist Party still sees as a renegade province. (dpa)