United States President Donald Trump offered to sell American weapons to China during a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping last week, according to the US ambassador to China, David Perdue.
In an interview with Fox News on Sunday, Perdue said Trump made the offer while hosting Xi. «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,» Perdue said.
The remarks offer a rare public glimpse into the discussions between the two leaders, whose countries are the world's largest economies and strategic rivals. The meeting took place as Washington and Beijing continue to navigate a complex relationship spanning trade, security and diplomacy.
Perdue's comments came after a Taiwanese minister described the military threat posed by Beijing to the self-ruled island as «severe». Taiwan, which China claims as its territory, remains a central point of friction between Washington and Beijing. The United States is Taiwan's most important international backer and a major supplier of defensive weapons to the island, a policy that China has repeatedly condemned.
Trump's suggestion that China could purchase US weapons is unusual given the longstanding US arms sales to Taiwan, which Beijing views as interference in its internal affairs. It was not immediately clear how Xi responded to the offer, and there was no public comment from Chinese officials on Perdue's account.
The ambassador's remarks are likely to draw attention in both capitals, where any shift in US arms policy toward China would carry significant implications for regional security. The United States has long restricted military cooperation with China, and any move to sell weapons to Beijing would mark a dramatic departure from decades of policy.
For the Caribbean, the exchange underscores the wider geopolitical competition between Washington and Beijing that increasingly touches small states. Several Caribbean nations, including members of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States and CARICOM, maintain diplomatic ties with both the United States and China, and have benefited from Chinese infrastructure and development assistance. Dominica, like its neighbours, follows the One China policy and has received Chinese support for projects including the Windsor Park Sports Stadium and the Dominica-China Friendship Hospital.
Any escalation in US-China tensions over Taiwan or arms sales could have ripple effects on trade, shipping and investment across the region. Caribbean governments have generally avoided taking sides in the dispute, preferring to maintain balanced relations with both powers.
Perdue did not provide further details on the timing or context of the exchange, and it was not clear whether the offer was made seriously or in passing. The White House has not issued a formal statement on the matter.
The US ambassador's interview also touched on the broader security environment, following the Taiwanese minister's assessment of the threat from Beijing. That assessment has added to concerns in Washington and among US allies in the Indo-Pacific about China's military posture.
For now, the account of Trump's offer remains a single remark from a US official, with no confirmation from Beijing. Observers will watch for any official response from China's foreign ministry or embassy in Washington in the coming days.
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