Chinese President Xi Jinping warned US President Joe Biden on Thursday not to “play with fire” over Taiwan, as Beijing’s concerns grow over a possible visit by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to the island claimed by China.
Chinese state media reported that Xi told Biden in their conversation that the United States should adhere to the “one China principle” and stressed that China strongly opposes Taiwan’s independence and interference by outside powers.
Beijing has issued escalating warnings about the repercussions should Pelosi – a Democrat like Biden – visit Taiwan, which it says faces growing Chinese military and economic threats. A visit by the speaker of the House would be a dramatic, though not unprecedented, show of US support for the island.
“Those who play with fire will only get burned,” Chinese state media reported Xi as telling Biden. “(We) hope the American side can see this clearly.”
China has given little indication of specific responses it might make if Pelosi, a longtime critic of Beijing, particularly on human rights issues, makes the trip.
The conversation of the presidents lasted more than two hours. US officials had said they would have a broad agenda, including discussing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which China has yet to condemn.
But at its core, US officials said they saw the talk as another opportunity to manage competition between the world’s two biggest economies, whose ties are increasingly clouded by tensions over democratically-ruled Taiwan, which the Xi has vowed to reunify with the mainland, by force. it it’s necessary.
Washington has no formal relations with Taiwan and follows the “one China policy” which diplomatically recognizes Beijing rather than Taipei. But it is required by US law to provide the island with the means to defend itself, and pressure in Congress has mounted for more explicit support.
A person briefed on the planning of the call told Reuters that the Biden administration believes that one-on-one leaders’ talks are the best way to reduce tensions over Taiwan.
Some analysts believe Xi also has an interest in avoiding escalation as he seeks an unprecedented third term in power at China’s ruling Communist Party congress due in the fall.
Source: Capital
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