President Donald Trump has sparked alarm in Taipei and among Asian allies by saying he would discuss American arms sales to Taiwan with Xi Jinping when the US and Chinese leaders meet in Beijing this week.
Ahead of departing Washington on his first visit to China since 2017, Trump said he would discuss the issue with Xi, breaking decades of precedent on not consulting with Beijing on US arms exports to Taiwan.
“President Xi would like us not to, and I’ll have that discussion,” Trump said this week.
Trump’s comment has sparked concern among US allies, according to several people familiar with the matter.
“Across the Indo-Pacific, allies are deeply concerned that President Trump will bend to Xi’s request to delay arms sales to Taiwan,” said Mira Rapp-Hooper, former senior director for east Asia at the National Security Council in the Biden administration.
“Not only would this give China a veto over critical security assistance to Taiwan, it would suggest that for the right price, any partner’s fate may be for sale.”
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President Donald Trump has sparked alarm in Taipei and among Asian allies by saying he would discuss American arms sales to Taiwan with Xi Jinping when the US and Chinese leaders meet in Beijing this week.
Ahead of departing Washington on his first visit to China since 2017, Trump said he would discuss the issue with Xi, breaking decades of precedent on not consulting with Beijing on US arms exports to Taiwan.
“President Xi would like us not to, and I’ll have that discussion,” Trump said this week.
Trump’s comment has sparked concern among US allies, according to several people familiar with the matter.
“Across the Indo-Pacific, allies are deeply concerned that President Trump will bend to Xi’s request to delay arms sales to Taiwan,” said Mira Rapp-Hooper, former senior director for east Asia at the National Security Council in the Biden administration.
“Not only would this give China a veto over critical security assistance to Taiwan, it would suggest that for the right price, any partner’s fate may be for sale.”