Washington: The U.S. ambassador to China has said that U.S. President Donald Trump wants to sell American weapons to China.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, who arrived in the United States last Wednesday on a three-day state visit and concluded his visit on Friday, said there is a possibility that he may meet U.S. President Trump two more times this year.
During his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, U.S. President Trump asked him whether he was interested in buying American weapons, U.S. Ambassador to China David Perdue said in a television interview on Sunday.
In justifying the U.S. arms sale to Taiwan, Trump told Chinese President Xi Jinping that this was just one of many sales the United States makes around the world. He also asked, “Would you like to buy American weapons?” David Perdue said on Sunday.
David Perdue said Trump raised the possibility of selling weapons even to China, America’s growing geopolitical rival.
If such a proposal were to take effect, the long-standing U.S. policy on China and Taiwan would be turned upside down; moreover, there could also be a risk that American technology would fall into the hands of a potential adversary. It does not clearly specify when this proposal was made.
He said that Trump takes the firmest stance on the Taiwan issue, that he is the most resolute on it of anyone he has seen, and that he has sold a large number of weapons to Taiwan. He also said that Trump has continued to speak about future U.S. arms sales to Taiwan.
The United States is obligated under its own laws to provide Taiwan with the facilities necessary for it to defend itself. Although it does not recognize Taiwan as a separate country, the United States remains the island’s strongest official supporter and supplier of weapons. However, U.S. leaders have remained silent and have not taken a clear position on whether they would deploy American forces to defend their ally Taiwan if China were to launch an invasion.
During the summit held in Beijing last May, at the consultation meeting between the two countries’ presidents, China urged the United States to stop arms sales. Following that, the United States temporarily halted a record $14 billion arms package sale. Trump also said that arms sales to Taiwan were a “very strong bargaining chip” in negotiations with China.
According to Chinese media reports, during the private talks between the two countries’ leaders at the White House last week, Xi Jinping urged Trump to oppose Taiwan’s independence.
Meanwhile, the White House said through a U.S. official that the United States has no plan to sell weapons to China.
In a statement issued by the State Department, it was said that U.S. law prohibits the sale of weapons to China. It also stated that there is no intention or plan to sell weapons to China.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to this.