Trump denies offering arms to China – contradicts US Ambassador Perdue

Donald Trump has denied an alleged offer to Chinese President Xi Jinping to sell arms to China, contradicting the words of the US ambassador to China. “I’ve never heard of that,” Trump said at the White House in response to a question from a journalist, adding: “We haven’t discussed it.” He had to ask Ambassador David Perdue about it.

Perdue had previously spoken in a television interview about a corresponding offer from Trump to Xi. Trump repeatedly says that the USA sells weapons to people all over the world, said the diplomat on the US channel Fox News. “He actually asked President Xi at one point if he wanted to buy some,” Perdue said.

Beijing reacted cautiously. China is strengthening its defense capability based on its needs, said foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun. The People's Republic is committed to maintaining world peace and stability. China's Foreign Office did not go into any details - Perdue also did not provide any further information about when exactly Trump made the offer and how Xi responded to it.

A sale of weapons to China is likely to cause uncertainty, especially among US partners. Washington is providing military support to a number of states in East Asia that are under pressure from China. Independently governed Taiwan, which Beijing counts as part of the territory of the People's Republic of China and wants to bind it to itself - if necessary with military action, is particularly under pressure.

Washington's regular arms deliveries to Taiwan have long been a thorn in Beijing's side. Another package worth several billion US dollars is currently pending. Perdue reiterated the US stance on the Taiwan dispute on Fox News. “We neither advocate independence nor advocate coercion,” he said, referring to the US government’s One China policy. Washington therefore neither supports independence for Taiwan nor China's threatening behavior.