China-US relations: Xi warns Biden on Taiwan, urging ‘clear-eyed’ approach versus playing with ‘fire’

Name: China condemns Taiwan visit by EU delegation and travel plans by US House Speaker Pelosi
Uploaded: 2022-07-28T13:13:16.000Z
Description: China condemns Taiwan visit by EU delegation and travel plans by US House Speaker Pelosi

Chinese leader stresses commitment to resisting ‘interference by external forces’ in self-governing island, alluding to possible Pelosi trip

Two-hour call described as ‘candid, in-depth and constructive’, with both sides instructed to maintain communication, Chinese embassy adds

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US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a long-awaited call. Tension between their two nations has been exacerbated by reports of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi planning a trip to Taiwan. Photo: AP Photo

Teddy Ng,Robert DelaneyandOwen Churchill

Published: 9:13pm, 28 Jul 2022Updated: 11:21am, 29 Jul 2022

Chinese President Xi Jinping warned his US counterpart Joe Biden that China remained staunchly committed to resisting “interference by external forces” in Taiwan, as tensions soar between the two powers over a possible trip to the self-governed island by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

“The position of the Chinese government and people on the Taiwan question is consistent, and resolutely safeguarding China’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity is the firm will of the more than 1.4 billion Chinese people,” he said.

“The will of the people cannot be defied and those who play with fire will perish by it,” Xi was quoted by the Chinese embassy in Washington as telling Biden in a phone call that lasted two hours and 15 minutes on Thursday, according to the White House. “It is hoped that the US will be clear-eyed about this.”

China condemns Taiwan visit by EU delegation and travel plans by US House Speaker Pelosi

Xi also told Biden that Washington’s assessment that China represents the most serious long-term challenge to the US was a misperception of the bilateral relationship and a misreading of China’s development.

Asked whether Biden had perceived Xi’s comments as a threat, a senior White House official briefing reporters said the Chinese leader “used similar language in the conversation that the two leaders had back in November”. She added she “was not going to get into parsing metaphors”.