US President Donald Trump once offered to sell weapons to China during discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping, US Ambassador to China David Perdue has said.
Perdue made the disclosure in an interview with Fox News aired on Sunday, saying Trump raised the possibility while discussing US arms sales to Taiwan.
According to Perdue, Trump told Xi that the US sells weapons to countries around the world and asked whether China would also like to buy some.
“There are continuing conversations about other sales.
Trump and President Xi talk about that every time they get together,” Perdue said.
The White House later said the US had no plans to sell weapons to China, while the State Department said US law prohibits such sales.
The comments came after Xi visited Washington last week for talks with Trump, where Taiwan was among the issues discussed.
China considers Taiwan part of its territory and has repeatedly opposed US arms sales to the self-governed island.
The US, however, is required under the Taiwan Relations Act to provide Taiwan with weapons and other defence equipment to maintain its ability to defend itself.
Washington approved an $11.1bn arms package for Taiwan in December. Perdue described it as the largest amount of weapons any US president had sold to the island since 1979.
Another $14bn weapons package for Taiwan remains pending, with Perdue previously saying Trump would decide when to approve it.
China has repeatedly called on Washington to stop arms sales to Taiwan.
In June, Beijing warned that attempts by Taiwan to pursue independence with US support or through military means would be a “dead end”.
During Xi’s latest visit to Washington, the Chinese president also urged Trump to oppose Taiwan independence, according to Chinese state media.
The latest comments have drawn attention because the US has long restricted military exports to China, while remaining Taiwan’s main international arms supplier.
In May, Trump also suggested that the pending Taiwan arms package could be used as a bargaining tool in talks with Beijing.
Perdue, however, said US policy towards Taiwan had not changed, including Washington’s position under the Taiwan Relations Act and its existing commitments.
