Xi May Issue Ultimatum to Trump on Taiwan, Reuters Reports

Chinese President Xi Jinping may demand during his meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington that American arms sales to Taiwan be halted, according to Reuters, citing three sources familiar with US-China negotiations ahead of the summit. Beijing may reference the 1982 US-China joint communique, in which Washington stated its intention to gradually reduce arms sales to Taiwan and not seek long-term supply arrangements. China has also asked the US to stop deliveries of weapons that Taiwan has already ordered, with one source saying Xi could tell Trump that Taiwan is a provocateur and source of instability in US-China relations. In exchange, Beijing might offer help pressuring Iran regarding the Middle East conflict. The US, however, is legally obligated to provide Taiwan with self-defense means, and the Trump administration approved an $11 billion arms package to Taiwan in December, with another roughly $14 billion package remaining delayed for months. Ahead of the summit, some US politicians voiced support for Taiwan, with Senator Pete Ricketts saying Trump should make clear US policy on Taiwan remains unchanged, while Matt Pottinger, former deputy national security adviser in Trump's first administration, said he expects "nothing substantial" on Taiwan during this week's meetings. Xi plans to visit Washington from September 23-25 for talks with Trump, having previously skipped a BRICS leaders dinner due to health issues.