'No, we have a great relationship': Trump dismisses concern over Xi summit

DUBLIN, IRELAND: President Donald Trump dismissed concerns Sunday, September 13, that Chinese President Xi Jinping could cancel their planned summit over new US arms sales to Taiwan.

The concern follows reported Chinese warnings that fresh US weapons sales to Taiwan could prompt Beijing to call off the meeting.

Trump made the comment while speaking with reporters during the second day of his two-day visit to Ireland, where he was attending the Irish Open.

Trump rejects concern over summit with Xi Jinping

Trump was asked directly whether he was worried Xi Jinping might cancel the summit. “No, we have a great relationship. He wants to get along, and we want it. We need to get along,” Trump said.

He also said China had been fair to the United States during his time in office, while arguing that Beijing had taken advantage of Washington over previous administrations.

“China’s been, I think, very fair with us over the last number of years that I’ve been there,” Trump said. 

“But over the years, over the decades, but over the years and during Biden and during Obama, China took tremendous advantage of us,” he added.

The planned meeting would be the third face-to-face meeting between Trump and Xi in a year, with Xi expected to meet Trump at the White House on September 24.

China’s position on Taiwan has emerged as a direct issue surrounding the summit.

Multiple sources told Kyodo News that Beijing had restated that Taiwan was a “red line” in its relationship with Washington.

Taiwan arms sales put summit under pressure

The sources said China had threatened to cancel the meeting if the United States approved any fresh arms sales to Taiwan, as per a report by The Telegraph published on Saturday.

The warning comes after the Trump administration announced an $11 billion arms sales package for Taiwan in December last year, the report said.

Beijing responded angrily, according to the report.

In May, the United States said it was pausing a separate $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan to ensure it had enough weapons for the war in Iran.

Trump had previously described Taiwan arms sales as a potential bargaining tool with Beijing. During his visit to Beijing in May, he said they could be “a very good negotiating chip” in his dealings with China.

Under the Taiwan Relations Act, the United States supplies Taiwan with arms to help it maintain a sufficient self-defense capability.

Iran adds another issue for Trump and Xi Jinping

Taiwan is not the only issue expected to feature at the planned summit. 

The war in Iran is also set to be a major agenda item, with China’s relationship with Tehran adding another point of tension.

China is Iran’s biggest trading partner and could be affected by US sanctions targeting Iran’s business partners, as per the outlet.

On Friday, US officials told the Wall Street Journal that Iran had relied on Chinese satellite imagery in a July strike that killed three American soldiers. 

The officials described it as the clearest evidence so far that Chinese support for Iran during the six-month conflict had deadly consequences.

China has rejected warnings from Washington that Chinese companies were supplying high-resolution imagery to Iran.

The Chinese government has not officially announced Xi’s planned visit to the United States.