Xi Expected to Press Trump to Halt U.S. Arms Sales to Taiwan

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Washington: Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to pressure US President Donald Trump to block arms supplies to Taiwan during their upcoming meeting in Washington, according to sources involved with the talks. Beijing is expected to highlight the 1982 US-China Joint Communiqué, in which Washington stated its intention to gradually curtail arms sales to Taiwan.

However, the United States has continued to supply Taiwan with defensive weapons, despite China's vehement opposition to such deliveries, which it deems part of its territory. Taiwan rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims and relies on US help for defence.

Beijing is reportedly aiming to prohibit not only future shipping but also supplies of weaponry that Taiwan has already ordered. According to sources, China may link the Taiwan problem to Middle East cooperation with Washington, notably Iran-related initiatives.

The Taiwan arms issue is expected to be a major source of dispute at the Trump-Xi meeting, along with broader US-China relations and regional security.