WASHINGTON, Mar 29 — RIA Novosti. National Security Officer Jake Sullivan had a telephone conversation last Friday with Wang Yi, head of the office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, ahead of Taiwan chief Tsai Ing-wen's transit stop in the United States, Bloomberg reported, citing sources.
«White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan spoke with senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi on Friday,» the publication reads.
It is noted that the conversation took place on Friday — before the transit stop in the United States of the head of Taiwan's administration, but «none of the parties preferred to expand on the call.»
Earlier in March, the office of the head of the island's administration announced that Tsai Ing-wen will head a delegation from Taiwan on March 29 to Guatemala and Belize in transit through the United States. The tour to Taiwan-friendly Central American countries will last 10 days. The delegation will depart Taiwan on March 29, transit in New York and arrive in Guatemala on April 1, then — on April 3 — the delegation will arrive in Belize, on the way back on April 5 will transit in Los Angeles and return to the island on April 7.
The situation around Taiwan escalated significantly after the visit to the island in early August last year by the then Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi. China, which considers the island one of its provinces, condemned Pelosi's visit, seeing in this move US support for Taiwanese separatism, and held large-scale military exercises. The Chinese leadership has repeatedly stated that Beijing will seek peaceful reunification with the island, but will never promise to renounce the use of military force if necessary.