NEW Fox News articles can now be heard on audio! In the midst of tensions between the two superpowers, President Biden spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping for the longest time on Thursday morning. Xi cautioned Biden against disobeying Beijing’s policy on Taiwan, according to a Chinese translation of the conversation.
The White House reported that the call, which was the fifth between Biden and Xi since Biden assumed office, started at 8:33 a.m. ET and lasted for two hours and 17 minutes.
Chinese government representatives recently asked that Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., cancel her trip to Taiwan, claiming that doing so would contradict Chinese-U.S. accords on foreign policy.
The White House later stated that the call was a part of the Biden Administration’s efforts to uphold and strengthen dialogue between the US and the PRC, to appropriately manage our differences, and to cooperate when our interests coincide. The call comes after a series of discussions between senior U.S. and PRC officials and the two presidents’ chat on March 18.
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The White House stated that “the two presidents discussed a variety of subjects essential to the bilateral relationship as well as other regional and global concerns, and tasked their teams to continue following up on today’s conversation, in particular to address climate change and health security.”
The summary continues, “President Biden stressed that U.S. policy on Taiwan has not changed and that the U.S. vehemently opposes unilateral moves to alter the status quo or jeopardize peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
In a summary it issued after the call, Beijing’s Foreign Ministry took a strong stance against Pelosi’s prospective visit to Taiwan.
The Chinese government stated that “President Xi emphasized on China’s resolute attitude on the Taiwan subject.” “China firmly opposes separatist movements for Taiwan independence and meddling by external forces. Taiwan independence forces in any form are never allowed to operate.”
The statement went on to say that the “strong will” of China’s over 1 billion residents is to “safeguard China’s national sovereignty.”
The statement stated that “the public sentiment cannot be defied.” “Those who fumble with fire will burn to death. It is hoped that the US will have no blind spots in this regard.
If Pelosi visits the island, which mainland China claims properly belongs to the CCP but Taiwan itself disputes, the Chinese Communist Party has warned to retaliate brutally.
After the Financial Times reported that Pelosi would visit the island nation that China claims as its own next month, the Chinese government issued a warning last week stating that it would take “forceful actions” if Pelosi went there.
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Taiwan is an island republic off the coast of Asia’s mainland and is officially referred to as the Republic of China. Taiwan has proclaimed its independence from the People’s Republic of China and asserted that it has continued pre-revolutionary China’s form of government.
The comparatively thin stretch of water that separates the island of Taiwan from the Chinese mainland is known as the Taiwan Strait, and the People’s Republic of China has long claimed sovereignty over it. Taiwan’s air defense zone has regularly been tested by numerous flights into the area by the Chinese military.
This article was contributed to by Associated Press.
