TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — US Ambassador to China David Perdue said President Donald Trump once asked Chinese leader Xi Jinping whether China wanted to buy American weapons while discussing Washington’s arms sales to Taiwan, the Financial Times reported Monday.
Perdue made the disclosure when asked about reports that Trump had delayed a proposed NT$439 billion (US$14 billion) arms package for Taiwan to avoid upsetting Xi. Perdue said Trump had noted that the US sells weapons to countries around the world and “at one point” asked Xi whether China wanted to buy some.
Perdue did not say when Trump made the remark or provide further details. The White House also did not say how Xi responded.
A US official told the Financial Times that Washington had no plans to sell weapons to China. The State Department subsequently said US law prohibits such sales and that there was no offer or plan to provide weapons to Beijing.
The Trump administration has also raised concerns about Beijing providing Iran with dual-use technology that could have military applications, per ABC News.
Perdue rejected suggestions that the status of the Taiwan package reflected an effort to avoid harming relations with Beijing. He said US policy toward Taiwan had not changed and discussions over the proposed sale were continuing.
Taiwan Representative to the US Alexander Yui (俞大㵢) said the US remains Taiwan’s main weapons supplier. He said Taiwan hoped to receive the proposed package “as soon as possible.”
