Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou will meet his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Singapore on Saturday - the first ever meeting between leaders of the two countries.
Both sides said the talks would focus on relations across the Taiwan Straits.
China has claimed sovereignty over Taiwan since 1949, when the Nationalist government fled to the island after defeat by the Communists.
However, ties have improved since President Ma took office in 2008.
The Chinese government claims Taiwan as part of its territory and threatens to counter any move to outright independence by military force.
Taiwanese spokesman Chen Yi-hsin said President Ma's aim was "to promote peace cross the Taiwan Strait and maintain status quo".
"No agreement will be signed, and no statement issued," he said, adding that Mr Ma would hold a news conference on Thursday to explain his decision to hold the talks.
Taiwan's mainland affairs council is also to hold a news conference on the meeting later on Wednesday, officials said.
China's official Xinhua news said the two sides would "exchange views on promoting the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations".
White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the US welcomed any steps to reduce tensions and improve relations, but added: "We'll have to see what actually comes out of the meeting."
Ties with China have improved under President Ma, whose Kuomintang (KMT) party is seen as pro-Beijing.
- Taiwan-China key dates
- 1949: Chiang Kai-shek's Kuomintang (KMT) nationalists form their own government in Taiwan after Mao Zedong's communists take power in Beijing
- 1971: Taiwan loses its seat at the UN to China
- 1979: The US establishes diplomatic relations with China while at the same time committing itself to defending Taiwan
- 1993: First direct talks between the two sides take place in Singapore
- 2005: Beijing brings in a law that makes secession by Taiwan illegal, at the risk of military action
- 2008: High-level talks between the two sides resume after Ma Ying-jeou is elected president. BBC
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