Chinese President Xi Jinping wrapped up a state visit to Washington last week, hosted by President Donald Trump at the White House. However, at one point, Trump allegedly asked Xi whether China would like to buy American weapons, U.S. Ambassador to China David Perdue said, as reported by the Associated Press News.
Lawmakers from both parties claim to have expressed concern that the United States might be stalling these shipments to avoid upsetting Beijing. However, Perdue apparently rejects the notion that the administration is holding back to appease the Chinese government. He insisted that Trump maintains a firm stance on Taiwan and has already approved plenty of weapons for the island.
Perdue claims Trump often plays down the Taiwan sales by noting that the U.S. sells weapons to countries around the world. “He actually asked President Xi, would he like to buy some, at one point,” Perdue said. Perdue did not say when Trump raised the idea or how Xi responded. The State Department has since pushed back on the idea, as U.S. law prohibits arms sales to China. A department official said there is “no offer or plan” to sell weapons to Beijing.
The outcome of the alleged question is yet to be seen
However, the statement did not address whether Trump actually asked Xi. While the U.S. does not officially recognize Taiwan as a country, it does serve as the island’s primary informal backer. Therefore, the government is legally required to provide Taiwan with the tools necessary to defend itself. However, officials have historically remained ambiguous about whether they would commit military force in the event of an invasion.
Trump authorized an $11 billion arms package for Taiwan last December. China reportedly has consistently pressured Washington to stop all arms sales to the island, most notably during a summit with Trump in Beijing in May. Ahead of that trip, Trump predicted Xi would greet him with a big, fat hug. Following that meeting, the U.S. apparently paused a record $14 billion package. Trump characterized the weapons sales to Taiwan as a “very good negotiating chip” with China during that period.
The package has remained on hold for months despite bipartisan calls from Congress to move it forward. Xi kept up the pressure during the White House visit. According to Chinese state media, he reportedly urged Trump to oppose Taiwan’s independence. Perdue noted that Trump and Xi are still discussing the future of U.S. weapons sales to Taiwan, as the topic comes up every time the two leaders meet.
Published: Sep 28, 2026 01:45 pm