Trump Plans to Address Taiwan Arms Sales Directly with Xi in Beijing

(MENAFN) U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed Monday he intends to put Taiwan's arms supply squarely on the table when he meets Chinese President Xi Jinping during a high-stakes summit in Beijing later this week — his first visit to China in nearly nine years.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump left little ambiguity about his intentions when pressed on continued U.S. military support for Taiwan.

"I'm going to have that discussion with President Xi," he said. "President Xi would like us not to, and I'll have that discussion. That's one of the many things I'll be talking about."

The acknowledgment that Beijing opposes U.S. arms transfers to Taiwan underscores the diplomatic tightrope Trump faces as he heads into one of the most consequential bilateral meetings of his current term. Despite the friction, Trump struck a notably optimistic tone on the broader U.S.-China relationship.

"I have a great relationship with President Xi. We're doing a lot of business, but it's smart business," he said when asked what he hopes to accomplish from the summit and whether the ongoing conflict with Iran had reshaped the agenda.

Trump also pushed back against long-standing criticism that the United States has historically been shortchanged in its dealings with China.

"We used to be taken advantage of for years … and now we're doing great with China. We make a lot of money with China," he said.

Hormuz Tensions Loom Over Summit Agenda
The Strait of Hormuz — a critical global energy chokepoint — is expected to feature prominently in discussions, given its strategic relevance to China's fuel supply and the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict.

"In Hormuz, they get a big percentage, 40% of their oil from Hormuz," Trump said, while downplaying fears of a maritime crisis.

"There's been no ships coming in, no nasty ships coming in, that we end up in skirmishes with," he added, suggesting current tensions have yet to materially disrupt shipping lanes.

Trump also suggested Beijing shares a vested interest in restoring regional calm, noting that Xi would not be immune to the economic fallout of an escalating conflict.

"He'd like to see it get done," Trump said of Xi, before adding: "I respect him a lot, and hopefully, he respects me."

Conflict Context
The summit takes place against the backdrop of a prolonged U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran that began on Feb. 28. The offensive, launched jointly by Washington and Tel Aviv, has killed more than 3,300 people and displaced tens of thousands across Iran, according to available figures.

Beijing has vocally condemned the strikes as "illegal," characterizing American and Israeli actions as the "root cause" of instability in the Strait of Hormuz, which remains subject to blockades imposed by both Washington and Tehran.

A ceasefire brokered by Pakistan halted the fighting on April 8 and has since been extended — but a permanent resolution remains elusive, with Washington and Tehran still far from a final agreement.

Trump is scheduled to depart for China on Tuesday.

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