United States Ambassador to China David Perdue revealed on Sunday that President Donald Trump asked Chinese leader Xi Jinping if he would like to buy American weapons. The unusual diplomatic exchange emerged as Washington continues to withhold a $14 billion arms package for Taiwan.
The disclosure came during a television interview on Fox News Sunday, where Ambassador David Perdue told Shannon Bream about the interaction between the two world leaders. According to the envoy, the proposal was raised by the American president as a justification for arms exports.
“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.”
David Perdue, US Ambassador to China
The revelation follows a high-profile state visit to Washington by the Chinese president, which placed America’s delicate balance of power across the Taiwan Strait under intense public examination.
The Stalled $14 Billion Taiwan Weapons Package
The debate over military sales centers on a pending roughly $14 billion arms package intended for Taipei. Lawmakers from both major political parties in Washington have raised concerns about delayed aid packages for the self-governing democracy, which relies on American equipment to deter potential military action from Beijing.
Washington is bound by the decades-old Taiwan Relations Act to ensure the island maintains sufficient self-defense capabilities. While the United States does not officially recognize Taiwan as a sovereign nation, it remains its primary informal backer and military supplier.
However, the administration has previously treated these military shipments as a strategic advantage. Following a meeting with Xi in Beijing in May, Trump described the arms sales as a very good negotiating chip
in dealings with China, placing the massive shipment in abeyance.
Official White House and State Department Denials
Following Ambassador Perdue’s broadcast remarks, Trump administration officials pushed back quickly, clarifying that the government has no intention of transferring military hardware to Beijing. The State Department emphasized the legal restrictions governing U.S. foreign policy.
“US law prohibits arms sales to China and there is no offer or plan to sell arms to China.”
State Department
The White House delivered a similar message to the New York Times, confirming that no actual sales agreement or transfer of defense technology to the geopolitical rival is under consideration. Perdue himself attempted to steady policy expectations, telling CNBC on Friday that there had been no official shift in the administration’s baseline stance toward Taiwan or regional military sales.
Beijing Demands Opposition to Taiwanese Independence
Military hardware remains one of the most explosive flashpoints between the world’s two largest economies. Beijing views the democratically governed island as its territory and resolutely opposes any American arms transfers to Taipei.
During their closed-door discussions at the White House, the Chinese leader pressed his American counterpart to take a firm stand. Official state media readouts from Xinhua noted that Xi urged Trump to oppose Taiwan independence
while visiting Washington.
Despite mounting pressure from Beijing and regular military drills near the strait, Taiwanese officials have maintained a calm posture. Taipei’s Deputy Foreign Minister Chen Ming-chi noted that Washington understands the island’s severe security environment, noting that China continues funneling resources into military expansion despite domestic economic headwinds.
Semiconductor Security and the Unresolved Timeline
Taiwanese leadership has increasingly tied its regional defense requirements to its indispensable position in the global technology supply chain. Deputy Foreign Minister Francois Wu highlighted that supplying the island with adequate defense infrastructure directly serves American interests, particularly given Taiwan’s status as a major producer of advanced microchips vital for artificial intelligence and modern computing.
As Taipei modernizes its military forces with advanced drones and missile batteries—demonstrated recently in domestic combat exercises—the immediate future of the $14 billion defense package rests entirely on the executive schedule.
Perdue acknowledged after the summit that he remains unaware of when the pending agreement might finally receive formal sign-off, noting that Trump maintains his own timeline for decisions.
