US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday voiced hope of managing differences over Taiwan with China after Beijing's furious warnings against a potential visit to the island by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Asked about a trip by Pelosi, Blinken did not comment directly but said President Joe Biden made clear in a call Thursday to his counterpart Xi Jinping that the United States "strongly opposes any unilateral efforts" to change the status quo on Taiwan.

"We have many differences when it comes to Taiwan, but over the past 40-plus years, we have managed those differences and done it in a way that has preserved peace and stability and has allowed the people on Taiwan to flourish," Blinken said, referring to the period since the United States switched recognition from Taipei to Beijing.

"It would be important as part of our shared responsibility to continue to manage this in a wise way that doesn't create the prospect for conflict and keeping open lines of communication on this issue," Blinken told a joint news conference with his Japanese counterpart.

"We believe direct communication between the leaders is the most essential aspect of meeting our responsibilities to manage issues as far as Taiwan in the most responsible way possible."

The Biden administration has been quietly uneasy about a trip to Taiwan by Pelosi, who is second in line to the presidency, for fear that Beijing -- which claims the self-ruling democracy -- would see it as a provocation.

Pelosi, a member of Biden's Democratic Party who has long been critical of Beijing, has not commented on her travel plans but said she does not support Taiwan independence.

Kremlin expresses solidarity with China over Taiwan
Moscow (AFP) July 29, 2022 - The Kremlin expressed "solidarity" on Friday with China's stance on Taiwan after Chinese President Xi Jinping warned US leader Joe Biden not to "play with fire" over the self-ruled island.

"Certainly we are in solidarity," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

"We respect China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and believe that no country in the world should have the right to question this or take any inflammatory or other steps," he added.

"We are convinced that such behaviour on the international arena can only cause additional tension."

On Thursday, Xi warned the US president not to "play with fire" over Taiwan during a lengthy telephone call that the White House said aimed to steady the superpowers' rocky relationship.

Beijing has upheld friendly ties with Russia as Western nations have sought to isolate President Vladimir Putin's government from the global financial and diplomatic order over Moscow's military assault on Ukraine.

Democratic Taiwan lives under constant threat of being seized by China, which views the self-ruled island as part of its territory to be taken by force if necessary.

Russia's assault on Ukraine has heightened fears that Beijing might similarly follow through on threats to annex its much smaller and outgunned neighbour.

Related Links
Taiwan News at SinoDaily.com

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As Pelosi eyes Taiwan trip, US anxious on China red lines
Washington (AFP) July 25, 2022
A potential visit to Taiwan by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is stirring alarm in President Joe Biden's administration which fears the trip may cross red lines for China - and that there is no exit path. China on Monday warned it was "getting ready" for a Pelosi visit to the self-ruling island next month and that the United States would "bear all responsibility for all serious consequences" if she goes. Biden was open last week about concerns, saying the US military opposed travel by Pelosi, a ... read more