Xi Jinping warned Joe Biden to not “play with fireplace” because the Chinese language and US presidents spoke for the primary time since Beijing was angered by a deliberate go to to Taiwan by Home of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi.
In an announcement posted on the Chinese language overseas ministry’s web site after the 2 leaders talked on Thursday, Xi didn’t straight point out Pelosi’s doable go to however mentioned his administration would “resolutely safeguard China’s nationwide sovereignty and territorial integrity”.
“Those that play with fireplace will perish by it. It’s hoped that the US can be clear-eyed about this,” China’s president added. China’s overseas ministry additionally quoted Biden as saying Washington’s one-China coverage had not modified and that his administration didn’t help independence for the self-ruled island, which Beijing claims as a part of its territory.
It was the leaders’ first name since March, when tensions had been additionally operating excessive within the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Xi met Vladimir Putin shortly earlier than the Russian president despatched his military into Ukraine and has tacitly supported Moscow all through the battle.
The White Home mentioned the decision lasted for greater than two hours however offered no extra particulars.
Beijing sees journeys to Taiwan by US lawmakers as a violation of Washington’s “one China” coverage, which recognises Beijing as the only real authorities of China. Pelosi can be probably the most senior US lawmaker to go to Taiwan in 25 years.
Pelosi’s plans earlier this 12 months to go to Taiwan had been postponed when she contracted Covid-19. Her workplace has not but confirmed the dates for her August journey, which Biden mentioned had raised considerations amongst US army commanders.
“China US relations are fairly unhealthy in all respects,” mentioned Shi Yinhong, a global relations professor at Renmin College in Beijing. He added that the Folks’s Liberation Military was more likely to take “needed countermeasures” if Pelosi proceeded along with her journey, however mentioned China would nonetheless search to “keep away from full and direct army confrontation with the US”.
The USS Ronald Reagan plane provider transited the South China Sea earlier this month earlier than docking in Singapore on July 22. It then cancelled a deliberate port name in Vietnam earlier than crusing again in direction of the contested sea, the place China is embroiled in a sequence of long-running territorial disputes with its maritime neighbours.
Zhao Lijian, a China overseas ministry spokesperson, on Wednesday repeated Beijing’s “agency opposition” to Pelosi’s potential Taiwan journey.
“If the US aspect insists on making the go to and challenges China’s purple line, it is going to be met with resolute countermeasures,” Zhao mentioned. “The US should assume full accountability for any critical penalties.”
Wen-Ti Sung, a China skilled at Australian Nationwide College, mentioned Beijing’s posturing within the run-up to Thursday’s name had been “powerful however removed from its hardest”, most likely reflecting that the Chinese language Communist get together management was nonetheless deciding methods to react if Pelosi doesn’t name off the go to.
Taiwan officers are anxious that any Chinese language countermeasures would doubtless be directed towards the island. However in addition they concern that Xi can be emboldened if Pelosi does postpone or cancel her journey.
“[Taiwan and the US] don’t need to present weak point,” mentioned one Asian diplomat, who requested to not be recognized. “I don’t assume there’s anybody who needs to be dictated to by Beijing.”
The deliberate go to additionally comes at an ungainly time for Xi, who’s making ready for a quinquennial get together congress in coming months at which he’s anticipated to safe an unprecedented third time period as head of the get together, state and army.
Further reporting by Xinning Liu and Maiqi Ding in Beijing