Team News Riveting
President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a virtual Tuesday to cool tensions between the two powers as the leaders seek to manage issues they disagree on and identify ways to communicate to avert conflict.
Biden however raised concerns about China’s suppression of minorities in Xinjiang province, about unfair trade and economic practices and its recent aggression against Taiwan.
During the three-hour long meeting, both sides sought to tamp down hostilities that have marked the relationship since Biden took office in January. The White House said the two discussed a range of topics including Afghanistan, North Korea and Iran, as well as human rights, climate change and concern over Taiwan.
Taking a tough posture at the much-awaited virtual summit, President Xi Jinping said that China would “certainly defend” its sovereignty and security interests as he warned that whoever plays with fire over Taiwan will “get burnt”.
According to reports, Xi Jinping said that China would be compelled to take resolute measures, should the separatist forces for “Taiwan independence” “provoke us, force our hands or even cross the red line,” and he also warned that the intention of some Americans to use Taiwan to contain China is “just like playing with fire” and that “whoever plays with fire will get burnt.”
This is the first time China’s top leader has sent such a tough, resolute and direct warning to the US via the virtual meeting on the Taiwan question since the latest tension in the region sparked by a series of provocations from the Taiwan separatist authority toward the Chinese mainland, as well as increasing interactions between the US and the island in recent years.
The virtual summit however featured no breakthroughs but enabled the two global superpowers to engage on a slew of sensitive issues that have strained ties — including Taiwan, trade and human rights. The two sides did not make pledges or depart from established positions. But the engagement was an acknowledgment that conflict, whether over trade or the South China Sea, can have grave repercussions around the world.
According to Biden administration official said Biden raised with Xi the need for a set of strategic stability conversations around issues such as nuclear and hypersonic weapons, which China is developing at a pace that has alarmed defense officials.Biden raised concerns about China’s suppression of minorities in Xinjiang province, about unfair trade and economic practices and its recent aggression against Taiwan.
The White House, in a statement, said the United States “strongly opposes unilateral efforts to change the status quo.” China has ramped up threats against Taiwan, flying sorties near the island and holding military exercises simulating attacks on the island that it views as a breakaway province. On Monday, hours before the meeting, Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense said China had sent six aircraft into its air defense zone. Taiwan sees itself as a sovereign state.
