The leaders of the US and China warned each other about Taiwan in a phone call that lasted more than two hours.
The BBC writes about it.
President Joe Biden told his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, that the US strongly opposes any unilateral move to change the islandʼs status. At the same time, he added that the US policy towards Taiwan has not changed.
In response, Xi Jinping called on Biden to adhere to the one-China principle , warning that "who plays with fire — will get burned." On July 25, it became known that the Chinese authorities had privately sent a warning with military threats to the Biden administration over a possible visit by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, to Taiwan. The US believes that these threats are much more serious than before.
Pelosi is the third-ranking US official and will be the highest-ranking US politician to visit Taiwan since 1997. Biden stated, according to the military, Pelosiʼs visit was not a good idea, but called Chinaʼs criticism of the trip "clearly futile and unnecessary."
- The Chinese army has been actively building up its military power near Taiwan for the past three years. Since 2020, Chinaʼs official rhetoric has allowed "reunification" with Taiwan as a result of an armed invasion. Chinese leader Xi Jinping called on the military to "concentrate all their minds and energies on preparing for war."
- In mid-September 2020, Chinaʼs military conducted large-scale military exercises near the Taiwan Strait. Then the American delegation arrived in Taiwan.
- In January 2021, the US decided to lift internal restrictions on cooperation with Taiwan. On January 30, China threatened Taiwan with war if the islandʼs independence was recognized by the United States.
- On May 23, 2022, the US president said that Washington is ready to use military force if China tries to seize Taiwan.