Trump Says He Discussed Weapons Sales To Taiwan With Xi In 'Great Detail'

Last Updated:May 16, 2026, 04:47 IST

Donald Trump says he discussed US arms sales to Taiwan with Xi, warns against war, while Xi says mishandling the Taiwan issue could push US China ties into dangerous conflict

US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he discussed US weapons sales to Taiwan with China’s leader, Xi Jinping, in Beijing in “great detail" during their meeting.

“We discussed Taiwan, the whole thing with the arm sales, in great detail, actually, and I’ll be making decisions, but you know, I think the last thing we need right now is a war that’s 9,500 miles away," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One as he left China.

Trump reiterated, saying, “The last thing we need right now is a war," an response that comes amid the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran.

When asked whether the US would come forward to save Taiwan in case a conflict with Beijing escalates, to this, the US president declined to answer, saying Xi had asked the same question to him earlier in the day. “There’s only one person that knows that, you know who it is? Me, I’m the only person," Trump said.

Speaking to journalists aboard Air Force One after his departure from Beijing, when Trump was asked if he discussed US weapons sales to Taiwan during the two-day summit with Xi, Trump first said “No, I didn’t say anything about it," then, moments later, he said that the arms sales had been discussed with Xi “in great detail."

Xi Warns Taiwan Issue Could Lead To US-China Clash

Chinese President Xi Jinping voiced his concerns over the Taiwan issue, stating it could push the bilateral ties between Washington and Beijing into a “very dangerous situation" if not handled properly.

Jinping made the remarks during a high-stakes meeting with his US counterpart, Donald Trump, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

“If it is handled properly, relations between the two countries can maintain overall stability. If it is not handled properly, the two countries may clash or even come into conflict, pushing the entire China-US relationship into a very dangerous situation," Jinping said, Xinhua reported.

“The Taiwan question is the most important issue in China-US relations," he said, as quoted by state broadcaster CCTV.

The Taiwan Issue

China recognises Taiwan — a self-governing democracy — as part of its territory. Although China and Taiwan have a shared history and culture, what differs them from each other is the fact that the latter has emerged as a thriving democracy over the last 80 years.

In recent years, Beijing has enhanced military drills around Taiwan, asserting control over the territory. Interestingly, it has never ruled out capturing the territory by force.

However, less than 10 per cent of Taiwan’s population backs reunification with China, surveys have suggested.

“We’ve been through an authoritarian past. We see democracy is something we achieved. Taiwanese people cherish that very much. So we will never accept the one country, two systems", Taiwan’s deputy foreign minister Chen Ming-chi told CBS News in an earlier interview.

News world Trump Says He Discussed Weapons Sales To Taiwan With Xi In 'Great Detail'

Read More