Trump Holds Beijing Summit With Xi Jinping, Discusses Taiwan Arms Package and Maintains Strategic Ambiguity
President Donald Trump revealed that Xi Jinping directly asked whether the U.S. would defend Taiwan during their Friday summit. Trump responded that only he knows the answer and stated he made no commitment either way, while pausing approval of a $14 billion arms package to Taiwan that has been ready since March.
BenzingaPresident Donald Trump wrapped his Beijing summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Friday. U.S. would defend Taiwan.
Trump responded to Xi Jinping by saying, "There’s only one person that knows that, you know who it is? " He added that he made “no commitment either way” on Taiwan.
U.S. The 1982 President Ronald Reagan “Six Assurances” to Taipei came up in talks between President Donald Trump and Xi Jinping. Trump discussed the arms package to Taiwan in detail with Xi Jinping and paused his decision on whether to approve it. The arms package to Taiwan is worth roughly $14 billion and is reportedly the largest-ever for Taiwan.
The arms package for Taiwan has sat ready for Trump’s approval since at least March. U.S. S.
6 trillion in the first year.
6% of global GDP in the first year.
Key Facts
Story Timeline
5 events- 2026-05-15
President Donald Trump wrapped his Beijing summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping
1 sourceBenzinga - 2026-05-15
Trump spoke to reporters on the flight home from Beijing, revealing Xi asked about US defense of Taiwan
1 sourceBenzinga - 2026-05-15
Trump stated he made no commitment either way on Taiwan and paused decision on $14 billion arms package
1 sourceBenzinga - 2026-03-01
Arms package for Taiwan has sat ready for Trump’s approval
1 sourceNOTUS via Benzinga - 2026-05-12
Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated US policy toward Taiwan is unchanged
1 sourceBenzinga
Potential Impact
- 01
Rubio's statement seeks to reassure allies that core US policy remains unchanged despite Trump's comments
- 02
Pause on arms package introduces uncertainty into long-standing US-Taiwan defense relationship
- 03
Potential US-China war over Taiwan would cause economic damage exceeding Covid-19 and 2008 crisis combined
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