Chinese President Xi Jinping has warned US President Joe Biden against “playing with fire” over Taiwan, during a two-hour phone call between the two leaders.
Chinese President Xi told Biden that the United States should accept the “one-China principle” and stands against any interference by external forces as China strictly opposes Taiwanese independence, Chinese state media reported.
“Those who play with fire will only get burnt,” Xi was quoted telling Biden over phone call.
“[We] hope the US side can see this clearly,” Xi told Biden.
However, US in a statement said that Biden told Xi that US policy had not changed and Washington “strongly opposes unilateral efforts to change the status quo or undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.
Taiwan is an island, roughly 100 miles from the coast of south east China. China claims Taiwan is a part of the China and the island is located in the so-called "first island chain", which includes a list of US-friendly territories that are crucial to US foreign policy. However, Taiwan calls itself as an independent country.
Currently, only 13 countries (plus the Vatican) recognise Taiwan as a sovereign country.
Following the call between US President and Chinese President, Taiwan’s foreign ministry said it thanked Biden for his support and said the country would continue to deepen its security partnership with the United States.
China intensified its warnings to US over a potential visit to Taiwan by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, saying it would view such a trip as a provocation.
The self-governing island of Taiwan receives informal defensive support from the US, but Beijing considers Taiwan part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to achieve its goals.
Pelosi would be the highest-ranking US elected official to travel to Taiwan since Republican Newt Gingrich visited in 1997 when he was House speaker.
Biden last week told reporters that US military officials believed it was “not a good idea” for Pelosi to visit the island right now.
