Trump asked Xi if China wanted to buy U.S. arms, envoy says

President Donald Trump inquired if Chinese President Xi Jinping would be interested in purchasing American weapons, according to U.S. Ambassador to China David Perdue.

Perdue stated that Trump raised the possibility of China buying U.S. arms, an offer that would represent a significant departure from long-standing U.S. policy regarding China and Taiwan. The ambassador did not specify when this offer was made, but he mentioned it in the context of a discussion about U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, the self-governing democracy that China claims as its own territory. Perdue was speaking on "Fox News Sunday."

Perdue pushed back against suggestions that the U.S. might be delaying arms packages to Taiwan to appease Beijing, asserting that Trump remains strongly committed to Taiwan's defense. He indicated that Trump and Xi continue to discuss future U.S. weapons sales to Taiwan.

"But President Trump continues to say, ‘Hey, we sell arms to other people around the world,’" Perdue said. "He actually asked President Xi, would he like to buy some, at one point."

The U.S. is legally obligated to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself. Although the U.S. does not officially recognize Taiwan as an independent country, it is the island's primary supporter and arms supplier. However, U.S. leaders have maintained ambiguity regarding whether the U.S. would intervene militarily if China were to invade Taiwan.

China has previously urged Washington to cease its arms sales to Taiwan. During a summit between Trump and Xi in Beijing in May, the U.S. paused a significant arms package valued at $14 billion. At the time, Trump described arms sales to Taiwan as a "very good negotiating chip" with China.

According to Chinese state media, Xi Jinping pressed Trump during their recent meeting at the White House to oppose Taiwan's independence.