U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday denied offering Chinese President Xi Jinping the opportunity to purchase American weapons, following remarks by U.S. Ambassador to China David Perdue suggesting that Trump had raised the issue during one of his meetings with the Chinese leader.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said he had never heard about the matter and insisted that he had not discussed selling weapons to China with Xi. He added, however, that Beijing could potentially be interested in purchasing American military equipment.
Perdue had said in a television interview that Trump noted the United States sells weapons to countries around the world and asked Xi at one point whether China would be interested in buying U.S. weapons. The ambassador did not specify when the question was raised or how Xi responded.
Washington Denies Any Arms Sales Plan for Beijing
Following Perdue’s remarks, the U.S. administration said there were no plans to sell weapons to China. The State Department also stressed that U.S. law prohibits arms sales to China and that there was no offer or plan to proceed with such a deal.
The conflicting statements raised questions over whether Perdue may have been referring to discussions related to Taiwan, a possibility Trump appeared to allude to when responding to reporters, amid continued tensions between Washington and Beijing over the island.
China did not directly respond to the statements by Trump and Perdue, but reiterated that it is developing its defense capabilities according to its own needs while emphasizing its commitment to maintaining peace and stability.
Taiwan Remains at the Center of U.S.-China Tensions
The developments come amid ongoing disagreements between Washington and Beijing over Taiwan, which China considers part of its territory, while the United States continues to provide the island with weapons and military equipment.
Washington approved a major arms package for Taiwan last December, with U.S. arms sales to the island remaining one of the most contentious issues between the two countries.
During Xi’s latest visit to Washington, Trump called for caution and restraint over the Taiwan issue, while Beijing reiterated its opposition to any moves aimed at Taiwan’s independence.
Trump and Xi have agreed to maintain communication and hold further meetings during upcoming summits of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum and the Group of 20, scheduled for November and December.
