WASHINGTON—Tensions over Taiwan, Russia’s war in Ukraine and clashes over the economy dominated a call between President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Thursday.
The planned call between the leaders, the first in more than four months, comes as the US seeks to win back a competitive advantage over China, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is considering a visit to Taiwan.
The call lasted more than two hours, according to the White House, reflecting the long and thorny agenda.
The last:
-
Reaching: Biden and Xi began their call at 8:33 a.m. ET, the White House said.
-
Last call: They last spoke on March 18 and could meet in person in November at the Group of 20 Summit, the G-20, in Indonesia.
-
Top US Concerns: White House National Security Coordinator John Kirby said Wednesday that “tensions over Taiwan” would be a topic of discussion. Taiwan is an autonomous island that China considers part of its territory.
-
Biden’s mom: Biden declined to answer questions about the call from reporters at an economic event Thursday afternoon.
-
White House reading: The White House issued a brief statement on the call that said the leaders “discussed a variety of topics,” including climate change and health security.
-
What the Chinese said: The Chinese government was the first of the two nations to read the call between the leaders, saying in a statement that Xi discouraged Biden from focusing on the rivalry between the nations.
-
Competition legislation: One area of disagreement appeared to be the computer chip bill that Congress came close to passing on Thursday. It seeks to reduce US manufacturing dependence on China, particularly for semiconductors.
-
Differences over Taiwan: In his statement, China noted that Taiwan was a major topic of discussion during the call, and Xi reiterated the nation’s firm opposition to Taiwan independence.
-
No policy changes: The White House suggested that Biden warned Xi not to take any action that would change the status quo.
what they are saying
-
Xi spoke with Biden at the request of the US president, the Chinese readout said, describing it as a “sincere communication and exchange on China-US relations.” and topics of mutual interest.
-
Nearly finalized legislation in Congress aimed at increasing US competition with China emerged, according to the Chinese.
-
“Attempts to decouple or sever supply chains in defiance of underlying laws would not help boost the US economy. They would only make the global economy more vulnerable,” China’s statement said.
-
The harshest rhetoric was reserved for Taiwan, with the Chinese declaring that “public opinion cannot be defied” on the issue and stating that “those who play with fire will perish for it”.
-
“The US is expected to be clear-eyed on this. The US should honor the one-China principle and implement the three joint communiques both in word and deed,” the statement said. The United States has long tried to navigate a murky middle ground that aims to support Taiwan without provoking China.
-
The White House said Biden “underscored that US policy has not changed” on Taiwan and that the US “strongly opposes unilateral efforts to change the status quo or undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.” .
-
Kirby said on Wednesday that “China’s aggressive and coercive behavior in the Indo-Pacific, outside of Taiwan; tensions in the economic relationship; Russia’s unprovoked war in Ukraine” would likely be part of the discussion.
You want to know more? this is what you missed
Tension for Taiwan: Pelosi invites GOP lawmakers to Taiwan as China warns of countermeasures if speaker visits
Tariff facilitation?:Why is Biden still considering whether to roll back Trump’s tariffs on China to fight inflation?
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Biden clashes with China’s Xi over economy and Taiwan during call