Beijing is pressing President Trump to freeze a proposed $14 billion weapons sale to Taiwan, a move that could upend fragile U.S.-China relations. China claims Taiwan as its territory, and Taipei relies on American military power to counter threats from Beijing. At their last meeting, Xi Jinping warned that mishandling Taiwan tensions could be "extremely dangerous" for both nuclear-armed powers.

Trump has described the arms sale as a negotiating lever with China, calling it "a very good negotiating chip" after his May summit with Xi in Beijing. He has held off approving the package of missiles, anti-drone weaponry, and air-defense systems. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has avoided mentioning Taiwan in speeches.

Taiwan's president, Lai Ching-te, faces political pressure as delayed arms sales complicate his defense spending agenda. Experts say China aims to prolong the delay so the military balance tilts in Beijing's favor. David Sacks of the Council on Foreign Relations said Xi is pursuing a sophisticated strategy to reduce U.S. support for Taiwan during upcoming meetings in Washington.