The White House said the call began at 8:33 am (12:33 GMT) and ended at 10:50 am (1450 GMT). US officials said that the call dealt with broad topics, including the Russian operation in Ukraine, which China has not yet condemned.
US officials see the exchange, in essence, as another opportunity to manage competition between the world’s two largest economies, especially as their relations are unstable due to tension over democratically governed Taiwan, which Xi has vowed to reunite with the mainland, by force if necessary.
Beijing has issued mounting warnings about the fallout if Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan occurs, a move that would be a major, if not unprecedented, display of US support for the island, which it says faces growing Chinese military and economic threats.
Washington does not have official relations with Taiwan and follows a “one China” policy, which recognizes Beijing, not Taipei diplomatically. But it is obligated by US law to provide the island with the means to defend itself, and pressure has grown in Congress for more visible support.
“It’s about keeping the lines of communication open with the president of China, and it’s one of our most important bilateral relationships, not just in that region but around the world because it’s about so many things,” White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Wednesday.
Reuters quoted a person familiar with the preparations for the phone call that the Biden administration believes that communication between the two leaders is the best way to reduce tension over Taiwan.
Analysts say Xi also has an interest in avoiding escalation as he seeks an unprecedented third term in office during China’s ruling Communist Party congress expected in the fall.
The person who saw the preparation for the call said Biden also wanted to discuss climate issues and economic competition, as well as the idea of capping the price of Russian oil to punish Moscow for its war in Ukraine, an issue Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen raised with her Chinese counterparts this month.
When Biden spoke to Xi last time in March, he warned of “consequences” if Beijing provided material support for Russia’s war. The US government believes that China did not cross that red line in the months that followed.
Taiwan has complained of intensifying Chinese military exercises over the past two years to try to force it to accept Beijing’s sovereignty over it.
The White House reiterated that the “one China” policy has not changed despite speculation about Pelosi’s possible visit, which has not yet been confirmed by the speaker of the House of Representatives.
The last time a speaker of the US House of Representatives visited Taiwan was in 1997.
China has developed militarily and economically since then, and analysts fear that such a visit at a time of fraught relations could lead to a crisis across the 160 km wide waterway separating China and Taiwan.
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