Biden-Xi make plans to meet in person, U.S. official says — and China’s leader has strong words on Taiwan

U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a phone call Thursday. Pictured here is their virtual meeting on Nov. 15, 2021.

A senior U.S. official told reporters in Beijing that a face-to-face meeting between Biden and the Chinese president would be arranged.

According to official statements from the U.S. and Chinese governments, the U.S. and Chinese positions have not changed.

Both sides plan to maintain communication despite the omission of plans for an in- person meeting. A U.S. official was giving a press conference after the call.

The official said there was an exchange about a face-to-face meeting between the teams. There was an affirmative agenda that was agreed to by everyone.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China did not reply immediately.

During a tense time between their countries, the two leaders talked. The island is considered part of Beijing's territory.

Analysts at the Eurasia Group said that the call was a positive sign that both leaders wanted to keep a floor under their relationship. A cessation of top-level US-China dialogue would be a negative sign.

The report said thatXi did not escalate China's threats but that he warned that Pelosi's trip could inflame Chinese nationalism.

The Financial Times is reporting that Beijing has warned against Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan.

China's leader maintained a firm line on the consequences of supporting Taiwan's independence.

According to an official English-language release from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the firm will of the more than one billion Chinese people is the reason forsolutely protecting China's national sovereignty.

The statement said that Xi said those who play with fire will die. Hopefully the U.S. will be aware of this.

Beijing has been recognized as the sole legal government of China by the US. The U.S. maintains unofficial relations with Taiwan in order to make sure the island has enough resources to defend itself.

The White House and the Chinese government said that the U.S. policy on Taiwan hasn't changed.

The Trump administration imposed tariffs on billions of dollars of goods from China and banned U.S. businesses from selling supplies to Chinese companies.

Biden's administration has made the bilateral relationship a strategic competition.

Climate change and health security were some of the topics that were discussed during the two-hour call.

Both countries need to communicate on macroeconomic policies, stabilizing supply chains and protecting the security of global energy and food, according to the Chinese readout.

The US and Chinese governments said that the leaders talked about the war in Russia. Beijing didn't call Moscow's attack onUkraine an invasion.

There was never any chance the U.S. would violate its own one-China policy. Even a visit by Pelosi wouldn’t change that.

Scott Kennedy is the senior advisor and Trustee Chair in Chinese Business and Economics at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Kennedy said there was no chance of the U.S. violating its own policy. It wouldn't change even if Pelosi visited.

The call was initiated by the U.S., according to the countries.

Biden asked for the call, according to the Chinese readout. The White House said the call was part of the Biden administration's efforts to maintain and deepen lines of communication between the United States and China.