During a Washington state visit in May 2024, President Donald Trump told Chinese President Xi Jinping that the U.S. sells arms to many countries and asked if China might want to buy, according to U.S. Ambassador to China David Perdue, who spoke on Fox News.
Perdue said the comment was meant to deflect criticism that Washington is holding back a $14 billion arms package for Taiwan, a deal that has been stalled since December after a prior $11 billion sale. Taiwan’s deputy foreign minister Chen Ming‑chi said Washington still understands the island’s defense needs and that the policy has not changed.
Fox News host Shannon Bream had earlier asked whether the delay was to avoid angering Beijing, and Perdue countered that Trump has never softened on Taiwan. Xi, meanwhile, urged the U.S. to "prudently handle the Taiwan question" and called for opposition to Taiwanese independence, according to Xinhua.
The U.S. law obliges the U.S. to provide Taiwan with defensive capabilities, but the White House has yet to confirm whether Trump will sign off on the new package. Analysts warn that a decision could shift the balance in the Taiwan Strait and affect U.S.–China trade talks.