It sounds like a punchline, but it came from the US ambassador himself: during Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s state visit to Washington, President Donald Trump reportedly asked whether China would like to buy American weapons — a move that would run straight into US law.
What Was Said
US Ambassador to China David Perdue made the revelation on Fox News Sunday, during an interview about American policy toward Taiwan. He said Trump keeps pointing out that the US sells arms to other countries around the world, and that at one point Trump actually asked Xi whether he would like to buy some.
Perdue did not describe how Xi responded, and no account of Xi’s reaction has emerged in the reporting reviewed for this article. The White House had not clarified whether Trump was making a serious offer or joking, according to one outlet that asked.
The White House Pushes Back
After the interview, the White House told the New York Times that the US has no plans to sell arms to China. The State Department went further, saying US law prohibits arms sales to China and that there is no offer or plan to make one.
That law is not a technicality. The US has kept an arms embargo on China since the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, and American law strictly bars exporting defense articles and services to the country.
The Taiwan Backdrop
The comment came as Perdue defended Trump’s record on Taiwan, saying Trump has approved about 50% more arms sales to the island than any president since 1979. He said US policy is unchanged: Washington does not support Taiwan independence and does not support coercion.
But questions remain. A new arms package for Taiwan worth about $14 billion has been on hold for months, after a record deal was unveiled last December. Reports say Trump described the pending package as a “very good negotiating chip” in dealings with China. Perdue said conversations about other sales are continuing and that the two leaders discuss it whenever they meet.
Beijing, for its part, has repeatedly said it resolutely opposes US arms sales to Taiwan, which it claims as its territory. According to China’s Xinhua news agency, Xi urged Trump during the Washington visit to oppose Taiwan independence.
Why It Matters
Whether it was a serious offer, a deal-maker’s aside, or something else, the remark lands at a delicate moment. Washington and Beijing have just wrapped a summit that produced a modest tariff deal, while the US also accuses China of supporting Iran in an ongoing war. Several outlets described the disclosure as surprising, and it is likely to fuel questions in Washington and Taipei about how far Trump is willing to go in his dealings with Xi.
This is a developing and politically sensitive story. The account of Trump’s remark comes from US Ambassador David Perdue; the White House and State Department say there is no offer or plan to sell arms to China. Xi’s response has not been reported.
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