US Ambassador to Beijing: Trump Offered to Sell Weapons to China

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President Donald Trump offered China to buy American weapons, according to U.S. Ambassador to Beijing David Perdue, in an interview aired by Fox News on Sunday.

U.S. arms sales to self-governing Taiwan are one of the main points of contention between Washington and Beijing, and under U.S. law, the United States is obligated to provide Taiwan with the necessary weapons to defend itself.

Perdue stated that the issue was raised again during Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to the United States last week.

He added, "President Trump continues to say: We sell weapons to other countries around the world. At one point, President Xi asked if he would like to buy some."

He continued, "Discussions regarding other sales are ongoing, and Trump and President Xi talk about this every time they meet," emphasizing that the U.S. position has not changed.

U.S. arms sales to self-governing Taiwan are one of the main points of contention between Washington and Beijing, and under U.S. law, the United States is committed to providing Taiwan with the necessary weapons for self-defense.

China warned Taiwan in June that seeking independence "relying on the United States or through military means is a dead end."

Washington approved an arms deal for Taiwan worth $11.1 billion last December, which Perdue said "exceeds what any other U.S. president has provided since 1979."

During his visit to Washington, Xi renewed his warning to Trump to exercise "wisdom and restraint" regarding Taiwan, urging the United States to explicitly declare its opposition to the island's independence.

In May, Trump hinted that a new arms package for Taipei could be used as a bargaining chip with China, raising concerns that Taiwan's security could become part of the negotiations between the two countries.