Relations between the United States and China have been strained by the planned visit to Taiwan by the speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi.
in Maiju Ylipie,
Ilmari Reunamäki
President of the United States Joe Biden and the President of China Xi Jinping talked on the phone for more than two hours on Thursday and discussed, among other things, the situation in Taiwan.
– The heads of state discussed in depth the relationship between China and the United States and issues concerning both parties, China’s national television company CCTV described the call.
According to the description released by China, Xi emphasized in the call that China considers Taiwan a province belonging to it.
– Those who play with fire perish in it. I hope the United States understands it well, Xi told Biden, according to China’s description.
According to a description released by the White House, Biden told Xi that US Taiwan policy has not changed and that it strongly opposes unilateral efforts to change the status quo or undermine peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
In the days before the leaders’ discussion, the relations between the two countries have been tightened by the speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi planned visit to Taiwan. China has threatened the United States and Taiwan with countermeasures if the president’s trip goes ahead.
At no point has China accepted the island nation founded in 1949.
According to the White House, the leaders also discussed issues related to climate change and health security. It is said that Biden also brought up the issues of genocide and forced labor in the call.
Instead, trade tariffs were not discussed in the call, Biden’s administration said. The US administration has considered removing some tariffs on Chinese goods as a way to ease skyrocketing inflation.
We are looking for a suitable day for the meeting
Biden and Xi also discussed the possibility of meeting face-to-face, according to the Biden administration.
The presidents instructed their staff to find a meeting time suitable for both, said a representative of the Biden administration to reporters. It would be the first meeting between the leaders since Biden became president.