President Donald Trump reportedly offered to sell arms to China during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Washington last week, according to U.S. Ambassador to China David Perdue. In an interview aired on Sunday, Perdue said Trump raised the possibility of selling weapons to China amid ongoing discussions about U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, a self-governing island claimed by China. The ambassador stated that Trump told Xi, “Hey, we sell arms to other people around the world,” and at one point asked whether Xi would be interested in purchasing some.
The revelation sparked immediate responses from multiple U.S. government sources. The White House and the State Department swiftly denied any such plan or offer, citing U.S. laws forbidding arms sales to China. According to a State Department statement, “U.S. law prohibits arms sales to China and there is no offer or plan to sell arms to China.” Trump himself expressed confusion during a Monday press briefing when asked about Perdue’s comments, suggesting the ambassador might have confused China with Taiwan. Nonetheless, Trump also remarked, “Maybe it’s a good idea” to sell weapons to China, despite not recalling making such an offer.
The issue of arms sales to Taiwan has long been a sensitive element in U.S.-China relations. Under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, the United States is legally required to provide Taiwan with defensive weapons to ensure its security against Beijing’s threats, including the possibility of military action to assert control over the island. However, Trump has paused a $14 billion arms package approved by Congress earlier this year, describing it as a “very good negotiating chip” during his diplomatic engagements with Beijing. This delay has drawn bipartisan criticism from U.S. lawmakers and concern in Taipei.
China considers Taiwan a renegade province and has repeatedly warned against any moves toward formal independence, including U.S. arms sales, which it views as interference in its internal affairs. During Xi’s visit, he reportedly urged Trump to explicitly oppose Taiwan independence. While Trump has maintained a policy of strategic ambiguity regarding defense commitments to Taiwan, his administration approved an $11.1 billion arms sale to the island in December 2025, the largest since 1979, according to Perdue.
Taiwanese officials have attempted to downplay the impact of the reported arms offer to China. Deputy Foreign Minister Chen Ming-chi affirmed receiving repeated assurances from U.S. officials that American policy toward Taiwan remains unchanged. Analysts suggest that Trump’s comments may have been aimed at de-escalating tensions or signaling continued negotiations with China rather than a formal policy shift.
Trump and Xi have scheduled additional meetings at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen in November and the G20 forum in Miami in December. The evolving dynamic over arms sales to Taiwan and China remains a focal point in U.S.-China relations as both sides navigate complex strategic and diplomatic challenges in the Asia-Pacific region.