Trump asks Xi Jinping if China wants US weapons: Why the extraordinary offer is so unusual

US President Donald Trump asking Chinese President Xi Jinping whether he would like to buy American weapons has put an extraordinary spotlight on the complicated military relationship between Washington and Beijing. The remark, disclosed by US Ambassador to China David Perdue, came as Trump was explaining to Xi why Washington's proposed arms sales to Taiwan should not be seen as an exceptional move. According to Perdue, Trump pointed out that the United States sells weapons to countries around the world and, at one point, even asked the Chinese president if he wanted to buy some. "But President Trump continues to say, 'Hey, we sell arms to other people around the world.