Trump says he will discuss arms sales to Taiwan in meeting with China’s Xi

Donald Trump says he will raise the issue of US arms sales to Taiwan during his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this week.

Trump reiterated his belief that a conflict with China over the status of Taiwan was unlikely in the near future.

“I’m going to have that discussion with President Xi,” Trump told reporters at the White House when asked about weapons sales. “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.”

Trump is scheduled to arrive in Beijing on Wednesday, ahead of talks scheduled for Thursday and Friday. It will be his first trip to China in nine years.

US defence support for Taiwan has long been a source of tension and potential flashpoint with Beijing, which claims the island as an essential part of its territory. The self-governed island has rejected threats of Chinese military force and insisted that its people must be free to decide their future.

The US is Taiwan’s most important backer and has provided the island with weapons that could be used to counter a potential Chinese assault. Trump announced a weapons package for Taiwan worth more than $11bn in December, the largest in history.

Also in December, China launched a series of provocative military drills simulating a blockade of Taiwanese ports, seen by many as a warning against outside forces aiding Taiwan.

While China has condemned US weapons sales, the US takes no official position on Taiwanese sovereignty and has called on Taipei and Beijing to peacefully resolve questions about the island’s status.

“I don’t think it’ll happen,” Trump said when asked about the potential for an eruption of tensions between the US and China over Taiwan. “I think we’ll be fine. I have a very good relationship with President Xi. He knows I don’t want that to happen.”