BEIJING LIKELY TO RAISE ITS INTERPRETATION OF THE U.S.-CHINA ARMS SALES COMMUNIQUÉ DURING XI’S WASHINGTON VISIT
Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to press U.S. President Donald Trump to halt American arms sales to Taiwan during his visit to Washington this week, according to people familiar with discussions between Beijing and Washington.
The issue is expected to feature prominently in Xi’s talks with Trump, as China continues to describe Taiwan as its most sensitive and important diplomatic issue. Beijing has repeatedly called for an end to U.S. arms sales to the island.
Xi is expected to invoke the 1982 U.S.-China Joint Communiqué on Arms Sales to Taiwan, one of three major joint communiqués that form part of the diplomatic framework between Washington and Beijing.
WHAT THE 1982 COMMUNIQUÉ SAYS
The August 1982 communiqué stated that the United States did not seek to pursue a long-term policy of arms sales to Taiwan and said Washington intended to gradually reduce such sales over time, with the aim of reaching a final resolution of the issue.
China has interpreted that commitment as providing a basis for Washington to end arms sales to Taiwan.
However, the document does not establish an immediate termination of U.S. weapons sales. The United States has continued providing Taiwan with defensive weapons under its separate legal and policy framework.
U.S. LAW COMPLICATES BEIJING’S DEMAND
Washington’s position is also shaped by the Taiwan Relations Act, under which the United States provides Taiwan with the means to maintain its self-defence capabilities despite the absence of formal diplomatic relations.
Taiwan’s government rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claim over the island.
The difference in interpretation has remained a longstanding source of tension between Washington and Beijing.
The United States has also issued the Six Assurances to Taiwan, which were made in 1982 and later declassified. Those assurances did not establish a date for ending U.S. arms sales to Taiwan or require Washington to consult Beijing before approving such sales.
ARMS DELIVERIES ALREADY ORDERED
Reuters reports that Chinese officials have also sought an end to deliveries of weapons that Taiwan has already ordered.
The Trump administration approved an approximately $11 billion Taiwan arms package in December 2025, according to Reuters, while another package worth about $14 billion has been held up for months.
Trump has previously described the delayed package as a negotiating tool.
The issue therefore extends beyond future weapons approvals to existing commitments and deliveries.
XI-TRUMP SUMMIT
The Taiwan question comes as Xi begins his September 23–25 state visit to the United States at Trump’s invitation.
The two leaders are expected to discuss a wide range of issues, including trade, technology, critical minerals and the war involving Iran. Taiwan is likely to be among the most politically sensitive subjects on the agenda.
Beijing has also indicated that it could cooperate with Washington on efforts involving Iran, according to sources cited by Reuters, although the two sides have different positions on the Middle East conflict.
REGIONAL SECURITY IN FOCUS
The Taiwan issue is being closely watched by U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific.
Ahead of the summit, the United States, Japan and South Korea reaffirmed support for the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues and opposition to unilateral attempts to change the status quo. The three countries also emphasized freedom of navigation and lawful commerce in the Indo-Pacific.
For Beijing, stopping U.S. arms sales remains central to its position on Taiwan. For Washington and Taiwan, the issue is closely connected to Taiwan’s ability to maintain its defence capabilities.
Xi’s discussions with Trump could therefore put one of the most enduring disagreements in the U.S.-China relationship directly at the centre of this week’s summit.
