Trump asked China’s president Xi if he wanted to buy U.S. arms while defending Taiwan sale, says envoy

admin — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 09:51:00 +0000

US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump participate in tea with Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, in the Red Room of the White House in Washington, DC, US, September 25, 2026.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

U.S. President Donald Trump has justified the pending arms sale to Taiwan to Chinese President Xi Jinping by downplaying it as one of many sales Washington makes around the world, even asking Mr. Xi if he would be in the market for U.S. arms, U.S. Ambassador to China David Perdue said on Sunday (September 27, 2026).

Mr. Perdue said Mr. Trump raised the prospect of selling U.S. arms to China, its ascendant geopolitical rival. The unlikely offer, if concluded, would upend generations of U.S. policy toward China and Taiwan and could expose U.S. technology to a potential foe. Speaking to Shannon Bream on ‘Fox News Sunday’, days after Mr. Trump hosted Mr. Xi for a state visit in Washington, Mr. Perdue did not specify when the offer was made.

Ms. Bream had cited concerns from Republican and Democratic lawmakers over delayed aid packages and weapons orders for Taiwan, the self-ruled island, to help it defend itself against China’s threat to invade. She asked if the U.S. was denying arms to Taiwan to appease Mr. Xi, who visited Mr. Trump last week.

Mr. Perdue pushed back on the suggestion, saying Mr. Trump “is as strong on Taiwan as I’ve ever seen anybody” and has sold it plenty of weapons. He also said Mr. Trump and Mr. Xi continue to talk about future U.S. weapons sales to Taiwan.

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

The U.S. is bound by its own laws to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself. While not recognising Taiwan as a country, the U.S. is the island’s strongest informal backer and arms provider. But multiple U.S. leaders have left it ambiguous whether they would commit military force to defend the island should China invade.

China has pressed Washington to halt the arms sales, most prominently during a previous summit in May between Mr. Trump and Mr. Xi in Beijing. After that meeting, the U.S. paused the sale of a record-breaking $14 billion package, and Mr. Trump described arms sales to Taiwan as a “very good negotiating chip” with China.

In their private talks at the White House last week, Mr. Xi pressed Mr. Trump to oppose Taiwan independence, according to Chinese state media.

In Beijing, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun did not confirm Mr. Perdue’s remarks when asked about the matter on Monday (September 28, 2026). He told reporters that China has always strengthened its national defence capabilities based on its needs and is committed to maintaining world peace and stability.

Published – September 28, 2026 03:20 pm IST

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U.S. approves $385 million arms sales to Taiwan

admin — Sat, 30 Nov 2024 17:44:43 +0000

The Foreign Ministry said it was the 18th time that President Joe Biden’s administration had announced arms sales to the island. File
| Photo Credit: Reuters

The United States has approved the proposed sale of spare parts for fighter jets and radar systems as well as communications equipment to Taiwan, in deals valued at $385 million, a U.S. agency said Friday (November 29, 2024).

While Washington does not have official diplomatic relations with Taipei, it remains the island’s most important backer and biggest arms supplier.

The proposed sale of the F-16 and radar system parts consists of equipment in existing US military stocks and was worth an estimated $320 million, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a statement, with deliveries estimated to start in 2025.

“This proposed sale serves U.S. national, economic and security interests by supporting the recipient’s continuing efforts to modernize its armed forces and to maintain a credible defensive capability,” the DSCA said.

“The proposed sale will improve the recipient’s ability to meet current and future threats by maintaining the operational readiness of the recipient’s fleet of F-16 aircraft.”

A separate sale involving follow-on support and equipment for a tactical communications system was worth $65 million, the DSCA said.

The deals were approved by the State Department, with the DSCA providing the required notification to Congress on Friday (November 29, 2024).

China insists self-ruled Taiwan is part of its territory and has long opposed US arms sales to the island.

The sales were announced as Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te was due to leave on Saturday for a trip to three Pacific island allies, with stopovers in Hawaii and the US territory of Guam.

Taiwan’s defense ministry on Saturday (November 30, 2024) “expressed gratitude” for the latest arms sales.

The items “will help maintain the combat readiness of the Air Force’s F-16 aircraft equipment and bolster our air defense,” the ministry said in a statement.

“Taiwan and the United States will continue to consolidate our security partnership.”

The Foreign Ministry said it was the 18th time that President Joe Biden’s administration had announced arms sales to the island.

Taiwan was determined to strengthen its defences in the face of China’s military pressure and “grey zone harassment,” it said in a statement, referring to tactics that fall short of an act of war.

China has ramped up military pressure on Taiwan in recent years with near-daily deployments of fighter jets and warships around the island.

On Saturday (November 30, 2024), Taiwan’s Defence Ministry said 18 Chinese military aircraft and seven naval vessels as well as two balloons were detected in the 24 hours to 6:00 am (2200 GMT Friday).

Published – November 30, 2024 11:14 pm IST

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US arms to Taiwan – Artifex.News

Trump asked China’s president Xi if he wanted to buy U.S. arms while defending Taiwan sale, says envoy

U.S. approves $385 million arms sales to Taiwan