Biden, China's Xi discuss Phl. Taiwan. Ukraine

US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping held their first direct talks on Tuesday since meeting in November, with Biden looking to keep tensions from mounting ahead of Taiwan's presidential inauguration in May.

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Biden used the call to emphasize "the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and the rule of law and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea," the White House said in a statement.

In Manila, a statement from the Chinese embassy said Biden had assured Xi that the US does not want to start a new Cold War with China. The embassy said it was Biden who asked for the phone conversation.

Xi urged the US not to support Taiwan independence, the embassy said. It added that "if the US side is willing to seek mutually beneficial cooperation and share in China's development dividends, it will always find China's door openl but if it is adamant on containing China's hi-tech development and depriving China of its legitimate right to development, China is not going to sit back and watch."