Has Xi convinced Trump to cancel arms sale to Taiwan?

A large weapons sale to Taiwan is in question after Chinese General Secretary Xi Jinping cautioned U.S. President Donald Trump not to approve it, the Wall Street Journal reported yesterday. Xi has repeatedly vowed to acquire Taiwan and has spent years preparing a military capable of conquering it by force if necessary. He aims to further tilt any future conflict in China’s favor by leaving Taiwan inadequately armed, and he is using a trade deal to entice Trump into aligning with this objective. Following a February 4 phone call between Xi and Trump, an unnamed U.S. official described Trump’s advisers as “vacillating” on the decision, the Journal said. A second official said Trump wished to safeguard a trade truce with Xi ahead of his planned visit to Beijing in April and characterized the weapons sale decision as being “carefully considered” in internal discussions. The Trumpet has warned for decades that America’s lack of resolve will be the primary factor enabling the Chinese Communist Party to absorb Taiwan.