U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly raised the idea of selling American-made weapons to Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to South Korean broadcaster 연합뉴스TV. The White House responded by saying there is no such plan, the outlet reported on Monday.
The reported proposal drew controversy, with security concerns raised about the prospect of U.S. weapons going to China, according to a separate report carried by v.daum.net. Neither report offered details on when the idea was floated or what systems might be involved.
The reports surfaced alongside other developments in U.S.-China relations. Asked about discussions on the Korean Peninsula between the two leaders, China said its position and policy remain consistent, KBS News reported.
In a related economic move, China said it would lower tariffs on American coal, with most of the roughly $30 billion in affected goods falling under most-favored-nation rates, according to 머니투데이. China also published the list of items covered by mutual tariff reductions, which includes U.S. agricultural products and Chinese toys, 경향신문 reported.
The White House denial leaves the reported arms proposal without official confirmation. It is unclear whether the topic will be addressed further by either government. Watch for any formal statement from Washington or Beijing clarifying whether the subject was discussed and what, if anything, follows from it.
