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What Biden and Xi's Past Calls Say About This Latest Tricky One

Biden meets virtually with Xi in the White House’s Roosevelt Room on Nov. 15, 2021.. — Biden meets virtually with Xi in the White House’s Roosevelt Room on Nov. 15, 2021..
Photographer: Sarah Silbiger/UPI

By

Rebecca Choong Wilkins, and

July 28, 2022, 7:59 AM UTCUpdated onJuly 28, 2022, 1:03 PM UTC

President Joe Biden’s calls with Xi Jinping have broken some diplomatic logjams between the US and China. But the showdown over a possible Taiwan visit by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi makes their latest discussion perhaps the most precarious yet.

Their fifth conversation in 17 months occurred days before Pelosi's reported trip to Taiwan. China has warned against what would be the first visit to the island by a sitting speaker since 1997. US lawmakers can’t be seen as submitting to threats from China and Xi has to look tough on Taiwan.