For the first time in four months, US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke on the phone on Thursday.

The conversation lasted more than two hours.

Reports about a planned trip to Taiwan by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi may have been a central topic.

Xi Jinping reiterated China's stance on Taiwan.

China resolutely opposes any "interference from external forces" and will "never leave room for Taiwan's independence in any form," he said, according to a statement issued by the foreign ministry late that evening.

Without specifying who he was referring to, he repeated the formula: "Those who play with fire will perish in it." He hoped the United States would be aware of this reality. 

Friederike Böge

Political correspondent for China, North Korea and Mongolia.

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Majid Sattar

Political correspondent for North America based in Washington.

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Jochen Buchsteiner

Political correspondent in London.

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In a previous phone call with Biden, he had made this threat before.

At the time, he was referring to American politicians who "want to use Taiwan to control China."

He did not discuss Pelosi's possible trip to Taiwan.

But he said both sides must work to de-escalate regional conflicts.

Regarding relations with America, the Chinese leader once again expressed his displeasure that Washington sees China as a strategic competitor and the biggest long-term challenge.

The American view of the relationship is misguided, he said.

Xi Jinping advocated maintaining communication with Washington at all levels and using the existing channels of communication.

Both sides had agreed to form working groups to ensure future communication.

China's leader is under pressure to show strength over the possible Pelosi visit to Taiwan.

This applies above all before the 20th party congress in the fall, at which he wants to secure a third term.

After the call, the White House said the call was part of the Biden administration's efforts to maintain and deepen channels of communication, handle differences between the two countries responsibly, and work together on areas where interests align.

Very vaguely, the White House pointed out that both sides discussed a wide range of issues and agreed to continue discussions at staff level, particularly on the issues of climate change and health protection.

On the subject of Taiwan, Biden stressed that US policy remained unchanged and that Washington firmly opposed unilateral moves aimed at changing the island's status quo or undermining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.  

Pelosi, number three in the state, would be the highest-ranking American visitor to Taiwan in 25 years.

Beijing regards the planned visit as part of a trip to Asia as an illegitimate diplomatic upgrade for Taiwan, which America does not recognize as an independent state.

Biden himself said last week that the Pentagon didn't think the travel plans were "a good idea at the moment."

The current dispute is also complicating the Biden administration's efforts to relax trade relations with Beijing in the face of high inflation and the looming recession in America, as some parts of the administration are considering.  

The conversation on Thursday is also likely to have been about the growing tensions in the South China Sea.

The Pentagon increasingly accuses the Chinese military of "aggressive and irresponsible behavior" in the sea region.

It is "only a matter of time" before a serious incident occurs, said Pentagon Department Head Ely Ratner, who is responsible for the South China Sea.

The number of dangerous maneuvers by Chinese military aircraft and ships has "increased dramatically".

As an example, Ratner cited a flight maneuver in which a Chinese warplane sat in front of an Australian reconnaissance plane and released decoys that got into the Australians' engines.

Canada has reported similar daring maneuvers.

London points to "growing danger".

Meanwhile, British national security adviser Stephen Lovegrove pointed to the "growing risk" of a nuclear conflict with Russia, but also with China.

Compared to the Cold War era, there is a lack of communication channels today, which is fueling "uncontrolled conflict," he said in a speech at a Washington think tank.

The deterioration in communication with Moscow and Beijing has "increased the risk of a rapid escalation into a strategic conflict".

During the Cold War, the two blocs - the Warsaw Pact and NATO - were able to understand each other's doctrines, Lovegrove said.

This gave both sides confidence "that we will not miscalculate our path to a nuclear war".

Today, however, doctrines in Moscow and Beijing - and even more so in Pyongyang and Tehran - do not exist or are "opaque".

Great Britain therefore supports the fact that the American government is again showing greater willingness to talk to Beijing.

Nevertheless, there are great concerns about the nuclear modernization program in China.

Beijing's "contempt" for arms control deals also makes for a "scary prospect."