China asks the USA to stop selling arms to Taiwan before President Donald Trump's visit to Beijing

The Chinese government has asked the United States to stop arms deliveries to Taiwan, just hours before the arrival of American President Donald Trump in Beijing.

The spokesperson for the Office of Taiwan Affairs, Zhang Han, stated that Taiwan is an internal matter of China and that Beijing opposes any form of military contact between the US and Taiwan. The statements were made ahead of the summit between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, where the situation of the island will be discussed. Trump confirmed that he will address the issue of arms sales to Taiwan in his discussions with Xi, although the US has a historic policy of supporting Taiwan's defense. Washington recently authorized an $11.1 billion arms package for Taipei, the largest to date. Xi may try to influence the official US position on Taiwan during the meeting.