Perdue said on Sunday that Trump had asked Xi whether he was interested in purchasing US weapons.
US President Donald Trump offered to sell American weapons to Chinese President Xi Jinping during the Chinese leader’s visit to the United States last week, according to US Ambassador to China David Perdue.
The US ambassador, however, did not clarify when exactly Trump made the proposal. If pursued, Trump’s unusual proposal could represent a significant departure from Washington’s longstanding approach to China and Taiwan, while also raising concerns about the potential exposure of sensitive US military technology to a major geopolitical rival. Under US law, Washington is required to provide Taiwan with the means necessary for its self-defence. it remains the island’s most significant unofficial supporter and arms supplier While the United States does not formally recognise Taiwan as an independent country. However, successive US administrations have maintained strategic ambiguity over whether American forces would intervene militarily in the event of a Chinese attack on Taiwan.
Speaking to Shannon Bream on Fox News Sunday, Perdue said Trump made the offer after Xi objected to US arms sales to Taiwan, which is democratically governed but claimed by China as part of its territory. The two leaders were discussing US arms supplies to Taiwan when Trump said, “Hey, we sell arms to other people around the world, according to Perdue. Referring to Trump’s proposal to Xi, Perdue said, “He actually asked President Xi, would he like to buy some (arms), at one point. During their private meeting at the White House last week, Xi urged Trump to oppose Taiwan independence, according to Chinese state media.
