President Donald Trump intends to put US arms sales to Taiwan on the table during his upcoming summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. This agenda item has alarmed Taiwan's diplomatic supporters and defense hawks in Washington.
The United States has historically treated arms sales to Taiwan as a bilateral matter between Washington and Taipei. Bringing Beijing into that conversation would be a significant shift from a policy framework in place since 1982.
Congress recently approved a $14 billion arms package for Taiwan. But the sale requires a formal notification from Trump to Congress, which has not yet been issued. Trump acknowledged that "President Xi would like us not to" sell weapons to Taiwan.
Under the 1982 Six Assurances, the US promised not to consult Beijing before making arms sale decisions regarding Taiwan. Xi has warned that tensions over Taiwan could push US-China relations into an "extremely dangerous place."
For Xi, gaining a seat at the table on arms sales would be a diplomatic victory. If Trump notifies Congress after the summit, it signals no policy change. If the package remains in limbo, it suggests behind-closed-doors concessions.