Brief
Trump says he never discussed selling arms to China after ambassador’s claim
The president said he was surprised by the ambassador’s statement and suggested the discussion may have been about Taiwan.
By Felo News Desk · Published
President Donald Trump told reporters on Monday that he had never discussed selling U.S. weapons to China, after US ambassador to Beijing David Perdue said Trump asked President Xi Jinping if China wanted to buy American arms during Xi’s recent Washington visit. Perdue told Fox News that Trump raised the question, but Trump responded, "To China? You mean to Taiwan? I've never heard of that one. I'm going to have to ask him," and later added that the comment may have referred to Taiwan.
The State Department reiterated that US law bars arms sales to China and said there is no offer or plan to sell weapons to Beijing. A separate US official also said the government has no plans to sell arms to China.
Perdue’s remarks came while he was discussing US arms sales to Taiwan, an issue that has strained US‑China relations. Washington approved an $11.1 billion arms sale to Taiwan in December and paused a proposed $14 billion package in May.
Trump and Xi have met twice this year, and both leaders are expected to meet again at the APEC summit in Shenzhen in November and at the G20 forum in Miami in December. For earlier coverage of the ambassador’s claim, see Trump reportedly asked China to buy U.S. weapons, ambassador says.
Key facts
- US ambassador David Perdue said Trump asked Xi if China wanted to buy US weapons. (timesnownews.com)
- Trump said he had never discussed selling arms to China and suggested the comment might have been about Taiwan. (timesnownews.com)
- The State Department stated US law prohibits arms sales to China and there is no plan to sell weapons to Beijing. (timesnownews.com)
Sources
- [1] timesnownews.com — originally reported as “'Never Heard Of That': Trump Blindsided By Own Ambassador's China Arms Claim”
