By Our Special Correspondent
US President Joe Biden has made occasional calls to Chinese leader Xi Jinping to ease tensions over Taiwan. These were whipped up by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's perhaps ill-advised plans to visit the island, which Beijing considers its own territory.
Both find it difficult to talk peace; however, domestic considerations force them to speak harshly. Chinese state media quoted Xi as telling Biden that "only those who play with fire will get burned" about the events in Taiwan.
Xi Jinping, in particular, has reason to find foreign culprits for China's problems to distract the Chinese public from a growing list of economic woes.
His insistence on a “zero Covid” policy has brought strict lockdowns and economic hues, but has failed to stop the spread of the current, highly contagious strain of the corona virus. This week, the virus re-emerged in the city of Wuhan, its likely source. And worse, China does not have easy access to effective mRNA vaccines.
China's economic growth has almost stopped and youth unemployment is on the rise. In addition, the country's property sector is in crisis and public protests are growing as clients of small and medium-sized banks are denied access to their savings.
Sources cited in US media have suggested that President Biden believes a one-on-one engagement with Mr Xi is the best way to ease tensions over Taiwan.
"This is about keeping the lines of communication open with the president of China, one of the most consequential bilateral relationships we have not only in the region, but globally," according to the White House National Security spokesman John Kirby.
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