Chinese President Xi Jinping has accused the United States of attempting to provoke China into invading Taiwan, according to sources cited by the Financial Times.

Xi reportedly made this accusation during a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in April of last year. While Xi has conveyed similar warnings to Chinese officials, this instance marks the first time he has made such a claim to a foreign leader.

During the meeting, Xi reiterated Taiwan’s critical importance to China, stating, “If anyone expects China to compromise and concede on the Taiwan question, they are having a pipe dream and would shoot themselves in the foot,” according to a press statement released at the time. Notably, Xi’s specific accusation against the US was not included in the official statement.

The US has long maintained a policy of “strategic ambiguity” regarding Taiwan, acting as a close ally without explicitly committing to military defense should China launch an attack.

However, the atmosphere in Washington appears to be changing, and a shift has occurred where Congress has increasingly shown strong support for Taiwan.

Xi’s remarks underscore the escalating tensions between China and the US over Taiwan, a self-governing island that China considers a breakaway province.