Trump Asked Xi If China Wanted US Weapons During Taiwan Arms Talks

US President Donald Trump asked Chinese President Xi Jinping whether Beijing would be interested in buying American weapons while the two leaders discussed US arms sales to Taiwan, US Ambassador to China David Perdue said in a television interview.

Perdue made the remarks on Fox News on Sunday, days after Trump hosted Xi for a state visit in Washington. He did not specify when the exchange took place or say how Xi responded.

The comments came during a discussion about Washington's planned weapons sales to Taiwan. Perdue said Trump has continued to describe US arms sales as a normal practice involving countries around the world and indicated that the two leaders have continued discussing future US weapons sales to Taiwan.

Taiwan Arms Deal Remains a Key Issue

The remarks come as Washington considers a major weapons package for Taiwan. The United States has a longstanding policy of providing Taiwan with military equipment under the Taiwan Relations Act, although Washington does not formally recognise Taiwan as an independent country.

China has repeatedly opposed US arms sales to Taiwan, which Beijing considers part of its territory. During Xi's recent visit to Washington, Chinese state media reported that he urged Trump to oppose Taiwanese independence.

Trump had previously described a proposed $14 billion Taiwan arms package as a potential negotiating tool in discussions with Beijing. The package was put on hold after Trump's earlier meeting with Xi in May.

Washington Says No Arms Sale to China Is Planned

Perdue's comments prompted clarification from the US administration. A White House official told The New York Times that Washington had no plans to sell weapons to China.

The US State Department also said that American law prohibits arms sales to China and that there was no offer or plan for such a sale.

The clarification distinguishes Perdue's account of Trump's remark from any formal proposal for an arms deal with Beijing.

Taiwan Remains at the Centre of US-China Tensions

The issue of Taiwan remains one of the most sensitive areas in relations between Washington and Beijing. China has opposed American military support for Taipei, while the United States has continued to supply Taiwan with defensive weapons.

Taiwanese officials have also continued to raise concerns about China's growing military capabilities. Taiwan's deputy foreign minister Chen Ming-chi recently said the island faces a serious security situation in the Taiwan Strait and stressed the importance of maintaining its defence capabilities.

Perdue said there had been no change in the Trump administration's Taiwan policy, including its approach to arms sales. Trump has also said that Xi understands his position on Taiwan.

The latest comments add an unusual element to the ongoing debate over US arms sales to Taiwan, even as Washington and Beijing attempt to manage wider disagreements involving trade, technology and security.