President Donald Trump justified the United States' arms sale to Taiwan, which is nearing completion, to Chinese President Xi Jinping, downplaying its importance

U.S. President Donald Trump justified the pending sale of U.S. weapons to Taiwan to his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, according to a statement made Sunday by Trump’s ambassador to China and quoted by the Associated Press.

Trump presented the transaction as a routine one, similar to the numerous arms sales Washington carries out around the world. With this approach, the U.S. president sought to play down the agreement’s significance in his discussion with the Chinese leader.

According to the ambassador, Trump even asked Xi Jinping whether he was interested in purchasing U.S. weapons. The statement provides details about how the U.S. president addressed the sensitive issue of relations between Washington, Beijing and Taipei.

The arms sale to Taiwan is taking place against the backdrop of persistent tensions between China and the island. Beijing considers Taiwan part of its territory and opposes the supply of U.S. weapons to the authorities in Taipei. In this context, Trump’s justification to Xi represents a relevant element of the bilateral dialogue between the United States and China.