Trump offered to sell arms to China, US ambassador tells Fox News

US President Donald Trump offered to sell arms to Chinese President Xi Jinping during Xi's visit to the United States last week, US Ambassador to China David Perdue said.

Perdue made the remarks in a Fox News interview aired on Sunday, in response to concern over US weapons sales to Taiwan.

Did Trump offer to sell arms to China?

According to Perdue, Trump asked Xi whether he would like to buy US weapons when the two leaders discussed Taiwan arms sales. US officials, however, say Washington has no plans to sell arms to China, and the State Department says US law prohibits such sales.

"President Trump continues to say, 'Hey, we sell arms to other people around the world.' He actually asked President Xi -- would he like to buy some? -- at one point," Perdue said. He added that Trump and Xi discuss further sales "every time they get together," and that the US position has not changed.

How did the White House and State Department respond?

The White House did not immediately respond to AFP's request for comment. White House officials said the US had no plans to sell arms to China, according to the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal.

The US State Department told the New York Times that "US law prohibits arms sales to China and there is no offer or plan to sell arms to China."

Why are US arms sales to Taiwan a sensitive issue?

US arms sales to the self-ruled island have long been a thorny issue between Washington and Beijing. China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has threatened to seize it by force, while the United States is required by law to supply Taiwan, which has a democratically elected president and legislature, with weapons for its defense.

Perdue said the issue was raised again during Xi's visit. Washington approved an $11.1 billion arms sale to Taiwan in December, which Perdue described as "more arms to Taiwan than any other president since 1979."

The US paused a $14 billion weapons purchase by Taiwan in May, with Trump calling it a "very good negotiating chip" in dealings with China. That move raised fears that Taiwan's security could be traded away.

What did Xi say about Taiwan during his US visit?

During his Washington trip, Xi repeated his warning that Trump should show "prudence" over Taiwan. He also urged the United States to explicitly oppose Taiwan independence.

China warned Taiwan in June that seeking independence "by relying on the United States or through military means is a dead end." Both leaders confirmed they would meet again at the APEC summit in Shenzen, China, in November and at the G20 forum at Trump's Doral resort in Miami in December.