Trump puts Taiwan arms sale, Hong Kong jailed activist Lai on agenda ahead of meeting with Xi

US President Donald Trump speaks during a maternal healthcare event in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Monday, May 11, 2026. Aaron Schwartz | Bloomberg | President Donald Trump said Monday that U.S. arms sales to Taiwan and the imprisonment of Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai would be on his agenda for the Beijing summit later this week. Washington's arms sales to Taiwan have been a flashpoint between the two countries, drawing a sharp response from Beijing that has accused the U.S. of violating the "one-China principle," and warned that attempts to "contain China" via Taipei were set to fail. When asked about Washington's longstanding support for Taiwan's defense, Trump said Monday that, "I'm going to have that discussion with President Xi." "President Xi would like us not to, and I'll have that discussion. That's one of the many things I'll be talking about." That comes after Beijing reportedly pressed the Trump administration to scale back its security commitments for the island . Trump is expected to meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday for talks covering a wide-ranging agenda, with Iran war, trade, rare earth export controls, and Taiwan among the central issues. The Trump administration has held up a record $11 billion weapons package for Taiwan, authorized in December, ahead of the presidential summit. "By aiding Taiwan's independence through arms sales, the U.S. will only end up harming itself. …