Biden speaks with China's Xi for over 2 hours amid tensions with Taiwan
CBSN
Washington — President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke by phone for 2 hours and 17 minutes on Thursday, their first conversation in roughly four months.
The call was part of the administration's efforts "to maintain and deepen lines of communication" between the U.S. and People's Republic of China (PRC) and to "responsibly manage our differences and work together where our interests align," according to a White House statement.
On Taiwan, President Biden told Xi that the U.S. has not changed its policy and "strongly opposes unilateral efforts to change the status quo or undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," the White House said. Tensions have been rising over Taiwan, with Beijing angry over a potential visit to the island by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. She originally planned to lead a congressional delegation on a trip to Asia in early April, but it was postponed when she contracted COVID-19. That trip was expected to include a stop in Taiwan.
