Biden tells Xi U.S. strongly opposes changing Taiwan status quo

July 28 (UPI) — During his talk with Chinese President Xi Jinping, President Joe Biden “underscored that the United States policy has not changed” on Taiwan, the White House said Thursday.

According to a White House readout of the call, Biden told Xi that “the United States United States strongly opposes unilateral efforts to change the status quo or undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.”

The two leaders had a lot to discuss as tensions are high over Taiwan, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Chinese actions the United States sees as aggressive in the Pacific.

It was the two leaders’ fifth talk since February 2021. The White House readout statement said the two presidents discussed “a range of issues important to the bilateral relationship and other regional and global issues.”

Biden’s discussion with Xi came as China warned against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visiting Taiwan.

China’s Defense Ministry warned of “strong measures” if Pelosi goes through with a proposed visit to Taiwan and said China requires the United States to take concrete actions against the trip.

The Biden administration has been working behind the scenes to convince Speaker Pelosi of the risks involved in a visit to Taiwan, including Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin giving Pelosi a security assessment.

Pelosi isn’t talking about her travel plans.

The White House statement on the call said it was part of the Biden Administration’s efforts to maintain and deepen lines of communication between the United States and China.

According to the White House, Biden and Xi tasked their teams to continue to follow up on Thursday’s conversation, especially to address climate change and health security.

According to U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense Ely Ratner, Chinese military ships and aircraft in recent months have exhibited unsafe and unprofessional behavior not only toward U.S. forces but also toward allied forces operating in the Pacific region.

Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Mark Milley has ordered U.S. forces to compile a comprehensive assessment of all military interactions with China in the last five years.