Chinese President Xi Jinping asked his US counterpart Joe Biden, during last month’s phone conversation, to prevent US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi from visiting Taiwan, The Washington Post reported on Saturday citing White House officials.

But Xi’s concern was rebuffed and he was warned against Beijing’s “provocative” actions if the visit were to take place, the report added. The US President told his Chinese counterpart that he “could not oblige” as the US Congress is an independent branch of government and that Pelosi would make her own decisions about foreign trips, the newspaper said.