US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping held a phone conversation for the fifth time on Thursday. The two leaders held talks for more than two hours as tensions escalated over a possible visit to Taiwan by US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The White House said the talks, which began at 8:33 a.m. local time, lasted until 10:55 a.m.

The officials said-

Officials said the talks covered a broad agenda, including Russia's attack on Ukraine. China has not yet condemned the Russian attack. Officials see this interaction as an opportunity to manage competition between the world's two largest economies. Tensions between the two have increased over democratically-ruled Taiwan. The President of China has threatened to forcibly merge Taiwan with his country.

Beijing has warned of dire consequences for Pelosi's visit to Taiwan. Pelosi will be America's first elected office-bearer since Republican Nevette Gingrich in 1997. Navat was the Speaker of the House at that time. Biden said last week that US military officials believe the speaker's visit to Taiwan is not appropriate.

The US aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan and her crew have returned to the South China Sea after a port call in Singapore. Pelosi is scheduled to visit Taiwan, about which the aircraft carrier has been deployed in the region amid escalating tensions with China.

Group of Japanese lawmakers met with Taiwan's President According to the news agency AP, a group of Japanese lawmakers, including two former defense ministers, met with the President of Taiwan on Thursday. The group is on a visit to Taiwan to discuss regional security. MP and former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba is leading the group.