WH to China: Don't use Taiwan visit as 'pretext'

STORY: "We're mindful that things are tense right now" between the United States and China, Kirby said, but he urged Beijing to keep lines of communication open.

China claims Taiwan as its own and has vowed to retake the self-ruled island by force if necessary.

Kirby said Washington still wants to reschedule a trip to Beijing by Secretary of State Antony Blinken that was postponed when a suspected Chinese spy balloon transited the United States and was shot down by a U.S. fighter jet.