Trump Asked Xi About Arms

U.S. Ambassador to China David Perdue said Donald Trump asked Chinese President Xi Jinping whether China would like to buy American weapons. Perdue said Trump made the remark while arguing that the United States sells arms to countries around the world. The comments followed Xi’s Washington visit last week, where he and Trump discussed U.S.-China ties, including Taiwan. The issue behind the exchange is U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, which Trump officials have left pending and partly paused during talks with Beijing. China opposes those sales, and Chinese state media said Xi urged Trump to oppose “Taiwan independence.” The White House and State Department said no China arms sale is planned, and State said U.S. law forbids one. Perdue said Trump remains committed to Taiwan and later added that U.S. policy had not changed.