President Donald Trump has stated that U.S. arms sales to Taiwan and the imprisonment of Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai will be among the primary issues discussed during his upcoming summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing. Trump reiterated that he intends to raise the case of Jimmy Lai and will have discussions with President Xi regarding Washington's longstanding support for Taiwan's defense.
A bipartisan group of senators has urged the president to advance a $14 billion arms sale for Taiwan, signaling to President Xi that U.S. support for the island nation is non-negotiable. Taiwan remains one of the world's biggest diplomatic flashpoints and is expected to be top of mind for President Xi during the summit.
Beijing, which claims the island as its territory, has described Taiwan as the core of China's core interests. U.S. weapons sales to the island have been a longstanding source of tension, and President Xi is likely to focus on persuading President Trump to slow the approval of further weapons for the self-governing island.