Taiwan vows to deepen military alliance with US despite Chinese warning

The foreign ministry of self-ruled island territory of Chinese Taipei has vowed to further deepen its close military alliance with the US following recent phone discussions between US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart.

Friday’s announcement came a day after Chinense President Xi Jinping sternly warned Biden not to “play with fire” over Taiwan, reiterating Beijing’s concerns about a provocative planned visit to Taipei by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi while urging him to respect the “One China” policy.

“Public opinion cannot be violated. Those who play with fire will be burnt. I hope the US can clearly see this,” the Chinese president warned in a strongly-worded statement, according to a readout released by the official Xinhua news agency. 

Ahead of the call, White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters that it was about "keeping the lines of communication open with the president of China", describing it as "one of the most consequential bilateral relationships" the US has had in the region and the world.

China’s Xi tells US Biden not to ‘play with fire’, stick to ‘one China’ policy over Taiwan

The Chinese president has warned his American counterpart not to play with fire over Taiwan, urging him to stick to the "one China" policy.

It is the latest in a string of similar warnings issued from Beijing in response to reports last week that the 82-year-old Pelosi, who is second in the presidential line of succession, may pay a visit to Taipei in August.

If Pelosi goes ahead with her planned trip to the island -- claimed by China as part of the mainland -- she will be the highest-ranking US politician to travel to Taipei since 1997, when hawkish Republican House speaker at the time, Newt Gingrich, paid a visit.

Biden administration officials expressed concerns last week that China may try to impose a no-fly zone over Chinese Taipei ahead of the potential visit by the top US legislator in efforts to upend the trip amid fears of further escalating tensions in the region. 

According to the unnamed officials cited in US press reports, Biden also reflected concerns from the nation’s military about Pelosi's possible visit, saying: "I think that the military thinks it's not a good idea right now, but I don't know what the status is."

Reacting to Biden’s alarming remarks, Pelosi then stated last week that while it's important to show support for Taiwan, she would not discuss her travel plans due to “a security issue.”

Pelosi further noted that she heard "anecdotally" about Biden's comments regarding her upcoming visit, but had not heard anything directly from the US President.

US fears China may impose no-fly zone over Chinese Taipei to upend Pelosi’s visit

Biden administration officials fear China may try to impose a no-fly zone over Chinese Taipei ahead of a planned visit by top US legislator in efforts to upend the trip.

"I think what the President was saying is that maybe the military was afraid of my plane getting shot down or something like that. I don't know exactly," Pelosi emphasized as quoted in a CNN report.

To further escalate the already heightened tension between Washington and Beijing over Taiwan, US aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan and its strike group, including a guided missile destroyer and a guided missile cruiser, entered the South China Sea, which is almost entirely claimed by China.

The group is expected to sail through the Taiwan Strait, a strategically-sensitive waterway that separates the Chinese Taipei from mainland China.

US naval forces have been conducting such maneuvers near Chinese waters about once a month, irking Beijing, which considers the sailings as a sign of support for the self-governed island territory of Taiwan.

Under the “one China” policy, nearly all countries across the globe recognize Beijing’s sovereignty over Chinese Taipei, including the US, which has no formal diplomatic ties with the territory but continues to support its anti-China stance and to supply it with massive amounts of armaments.

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