Xi Jinping warns Biden 1.4 billion Chinese will not give up Taiwan

The telephone conversation between Xi Jinping and Joe Biden was not a friendly chat. The Chinese leader warned his US counterpart that he could burn himself.

On July 28, Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Joseph Biden held their fifth telephone conversation since Biden became President. It lasted for two hours and 17 minutes.

The White House did not say what the conversation was about

In connection with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's trip to Taiwan, this issue was expected to be the main topic of the conversation.

The White House issued a short summary of the conversation between Xi Jinping and Joe Biden. It was in particular said that the policy of the United States had not changed. Washington was still strongly opposed to any unilateral efforts that might be taken either to change the status quo or undermine peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait region.

However, the American president stated earlier that the United States committed itself to defending Taiwan, including militarily. The government of the Democratic Progressive Party that holds power in Taiwan is determined to separate from China.

Xi Jinping demands opinions of 1.4 bn Chinese should be taken into account

Xinhua, China's state-run news agency, said that Xi Jinping reminded Biden of the one-China principle, which was the political foundation of Sino-US relations.

"We strongly oppose both "Taiwan independence" and interference from outside forces. We will never leave room for "Taiwan independence" forces in any form. The position of the Chinese government and the Chinese people on the Taiwan issue has been consistent, and more than 1.4 billion Chinese people are determined to resolutely defend China's national sovereignty and territorial integrity," Xinhua quoted Xi as saying.

"Public opinion should not be ignored. By playing with fire, you will get burned yourself. I hope the American side has a clear understanding of this. The American side must adhere to the One China principle and implement the three joint Sino-US communiqués," Xi Jinping added.

He further criticized the US position, which defines Sino-US relations as strategic rivalry, as this "may harm the peoples of the two countries and the world."

Xi Jinping reaffirmed China's principled position on Ukraine — to contribute to peace. According to the President of China, disconnection and termination of ties will not help the US economy grow, but will make the entire world economy more vulnerable instead.

US will try to rock China

"China-US relations are pretty bad in all respects,” said Shi Yinhong, an international relations professor at Renmin University in Beijing. The Chinese People's Liberation Army will most likely take "necessary countermeasures" if Pelosi travels to Taiwan. At the same time, China will seek to avoid a full and direct military confrontation with the US, Yinhong added.

Sergei Lukonin, the head of the Sector of Economics and Politics of China, told Pravda.Ru that the United States would benefit from drawing China into a heated confrontation.

This would be especially beneficial for the US because China plans to hold the 20th Congress of the Communist Party by autumn. It is expected that Xi Jinping will be re-elected for a third term at its Chairman at this congress.

According to the expert, it is now very important for China to have stability in social, economic and foreign policy spheres. The United States of America is trying to rock the boat to complicate China's development as much as possible, to create additional problems for the country in social and political spheres.

According to US media, Pelosi is set to travel to the Indo-Pacific this weekend. US aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan and her strike force sailed to South China Sea ahead of Pelosi's trip to Taiwan.

The Taiwan issue arose in 1949, when the communist People's Republic of China was proclaimed. Part of the Kuomintang party settled on the island of Taiwan, and Beijing has not been able to control Taiwan since then hoping for peaceful reintegration.