Chinese President Xi Jinping Expected To Press Donald Trump To Halt Taiwan Arms Sales At Washington Summit, Citing 1982 US-China Communique

Beijing is anticipated to urge US President Donald Trump to cease the sale of arms to Taiwan during a summit between the two leaders in Washington, according to sources well-versed in the ongoing discussions. The Chinese government is expected to reference a 1982 joint communique between the two nations as a justification for this demand.

Taiwan, which is claimed by Beijing, is considered a critical diplomatic concern for China, and the country has persistently called for an end to US arms sales to the island. Taiwan, on the other hand, rejects Beijing's territorial claims. The United States, despite lacking formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, is legally obligated to provide the self-governing island with the capability to protect itself.

According to three sources familiar with the ongoing US-China talks, Beijing may invoke the interpretation of the third joint communique signed by the two countries in 1982. Under the communique, the US pledged to gradually reduce arms sales to Taiwan and did not seek long-term weapons deals with Taipei. However, an accompanying memorandum signed by former US President Ronald Reagan implied that Washington's willingness to reduce arms sales to Taiwan was "subject to China's continued commitment to resolving the issue peacefully."

China has significantly escalated its military presence around Taiwan in recent years, engaging in joint military exercises that involve live missile tests. The Chinese Foreign Ministry has repeatedly denounced US arms sales to Taiwan and emphasized that adherence to the three communiques and prior US commitments regarding Taiwan is a "necessary precondition" for maintaining stable and healthy bilateral relations.

Xi Jinping is scheduled to arrive in Washington on Wednesday, with formal discussions planned for Thursday and a visit to the National Archives on Friday. The $14 billion arms package for Taiwan remains on hold, awaiting a decision from President Trump. The White House official stated that Trump intends to make a decision on the new arms sales package for Taiwan shortly.

During his first term, Trump approved more arms sales to Taiwan than any previous US president, and during the first year of his second term, surpassed the number approved by President Joe Biden in his four years in office. In response to China's demands, Taiwan's Foreign Ministry is closely monitoring developments in high-level US-China exchanges while maintaining "proactive communication" with Washington.

China has also requested that the US halt the delivery of weapons previously ordered by Taiwan. Beijing may emphasize to Trump that Taiwan is the cause of instability in US-China relations and that the island is responsible for changing the status quo, according to one source. In return for this pressure, China is offering to assist in putting pressure on Iran regarding the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

The US follows a "one China policy," which means it does not take a stance on Taiwan's sovereignty. The US acknowledges, but does not endorse, Beijing's position that Taiwan is part of China. The Trump administration approved a $11 billion arms sales package for Taiwan in December, the largest ever. A second package worth around $14 billion has been delayed for months.

Following a summit with Xi in Beijing in May, Trump stated that he was maintaining the package in abeyance, calling it a "valuable bargaining chip." US officials supportive of Taiwan have expressed support for the island ahead of the summit. Republican Senator Pete Ricketts, the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee on East Asia, has called on Trump to take a strong stance and send a clear message that the US policy on Taiwan remains unchanged.

He emphasized the need to communicate that the US will not allow Taiwan to be taken by force. Republican Representative John Moolenaar, the chair of the House Select Committee on China, has written to Trump, urging him to reject Chinese objections to US arms sales and security cooperation with Taiwan and US allies in Asia. The issue of Taiwan has been a source of tension between the US and China in recent years, with both nations expressing strong disagreements over the matter.