WELCOME TO MEET THE PRESS NOW I'M KRISTEN WELKER, AND WE BEGIN WITH THE PRESIDENT'S HIGH STAKES SUMMIT IN CHINA, AS HE LOOKS TO FORGE A MORE COOPERATIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH BEIJING AMID MAJOR TENSIONS BETWEEN THE TWO NATIONS TIED TO TAIWAN TRADE AND, OF COURSE, THE WAR WITH IRAN. TODAY, CHINA ROLLING OUT A LITERAL RED CARPET WITH PRESIDENT XI GREETING PRESIDENT TRUMP IN A FORMAL WELCOME CEREMONY, COMPLETE WITH SCHOOL CHILDREN JUMPING AND CHEERING WHILE WAVING FLAGS, A MILITARY HONOR GUARD AND THE PERFORMANCE OF BOTH COUNTRIES NATIONAL ANTHEMS. THE TWO LEADERS THEN SITTING DOWN FOR THE START OF THE SUMMIT, PRESIDENT XI SAYING THE U.
S. AND CHINA SHOULD BE PARTNERS, NOT RIVALS, AND THAT THE WORLD HAS COME TO A NEW CROSSROADS. PRESIDENT TRUMP, IN TURN PRAISING HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CHINESE LEADER.
>> WE'VE HAD A FANTASTIC RELATIONSHIP. WE'VE GOTTEN ALONG. WHEN THERE WERE DIFFICULTIES, WE WORKED IT OUT.
I WOULD CALL YOU AND YOU WOULD CALL ME. AND WHEN EVER WE HAD A PROBLEM, PEOPLE DON'T KNOW. WHENEVER WE HAD A PROBLEM, WE WORKED IT OUT VERY QUICKLY AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A FANTASTIC FUTURE TOGETHER.
SUCH RESPECT FOR CHINA, THE JOB YOU'VE DONE. YOU'RE A GREAT LEADER. I SAY IT TO EVERYBODY.
YOU'RE A GREAT LEADER. SOMETIMES PEOPLE DON'T LIKE ME SAYING IT, BUT I SAY IT ANYWAY BECAUSE IT'S TRUE. I ONLY SAY THE TRUTH.
>> THAT CLOSED DOOR MEETING LASTING OVER TWO HOURS AND ACCORDING TO BOTH SIDES, INCLUDED DISCUSSIONS ABOUT SEVERAL CONTENTIOUS ISSUES. BEIJING SAYING PRESIDENT XI WARNED THE U. S.
ABOUT, QUOTE, CLASHES AND EVEN CONFLICTS OVER TAIWAN, THE DEMOCRATIC, SELF-GOVERNING ISLAND THAT CHINA'S COMMUNIST GOVERNMENT CLAIMS IS PART OF ITS TERRITORY. THE U. S.
MAINTAINS AN INFORMAL RELATIONSHIP WITH TAIWAN, INCLUDING THE SALE OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF WEAPONS. NOTABLY, TAIWAN WAS NOT MENTIONED IN THE WHITE HOUSE READOUT OF TODAY'S MEETING. NBC'S TOM LLAMAS SAT DOWN WITH SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO AND ASKED HIM ABOUT THE DISCUSSIONS TIED TO TAIWAN.
HERE'S PART OF THAT EXCHANGE. >> PRESIDENT XI STRESSED TO PRESIDENT TRUMP THAT THE TAIWAN QUESTION IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE IN CHINA-U. S.
RELATIONS. TALK TO ME ABOUT THAT MOMENT WHEN THAT. >> WELL, THEY CERTAINLY FEEL THAT WAY.
AND THEY ALWAYS RAISE THAT ISSUE. AND WE UNDERSTAND THEY RAISE THAT ISSUE FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE. ANY FORCED CHANGE IN THE STATUS QUO AND THE SITUATION THAT'S THERE NOW WOULD BE BAD FOR BOTH COUNTRIES.
ONE OF THE THINGS THE CHINESE EMPHASIZE, WHICH WE AGREE IS STRATEGIC STABILITY IN OUR RELATIONSHIP, A CONSTRUCTIVE RELATIONSHIP, BUT ALSO ONE THAT ESTABLISHES STRATEGIC STABILITY SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE MISUNDERSTANDINGS THAT COULD LEAD TO BROADER CONFLICT. AND SO WE ALWAYS REITERATE THE POINT. WE HEAR THEM WHEN THEY SAY THIS.
WE ALWAYS RESPOND BY SAYING ANYTHING THAT WOULD COMPEL OR FORCE A CHANGE IN WHAT WE HAVE NOW WOULD BE PROBLEMATIC. AND WE WOULD CERTAINLY OUR POLICIES ON THAT HAVE NOT CHANGED. >> THE SUMMIT IN BEIJING IS ALSO HAPPENING AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF THE U.
S. WAR WITH IRAN, WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT ROLE CHINA, A KEY ECONOMIC PARTNER FOR TEHRAN, COULD PLAY IN EASING TENSIONS, PARTICULARLY IN THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ. IN AN INTERVIEW WITH FOX NEWS, PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID PRESIDENT XI TOLD HIM HE WOULD, QUOTE, LOVE TO HELP AND SAID THE CHINESE LEADER WANTS TO SEE THE STRAIT OPEN.
BUT TRAFFIC THROUGH THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ REMAINS LARGELY STALLED, CAUSING OIL AND GAS PRICES TO RISE. TOM LLAMAS ALSO ASKED SECRETARY RUBIO ABOUT HIS MESSAGE TO AMERICANS WHO ARE FACING THE ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES. >> EVERY DAY, AMERICANS ARE SPENDING MORE AND MORE, AND THEY'RE SAVING LESS AND LESS.
HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN TO THEM, WHY IS THIS TAKING SO LONG IN IRAN? >> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD SAY OBVIOUSLY IT MAY SEEM LIKE A LONG TIME FROM FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF OTHER CONFLICTS THAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST. IT'S ONLY BEEN WEEKS, NOT MONTHS, AND CERTAINLY NOT YEARS.
>> BUT LONGER THAN THE PRESIDENT HAS TOLD THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. >> WELL, WE ACHIEVED THE MISSIONS OF EPIC FURY. >> AS THE PRESIDENT WAS LEAVING FOR CHINA.
DID HE MAKE A MISTAKE WHEN HE TOLD A REPORTER THAT AMERICA'S FINANCIAL SITUATION ISN'T PLAYING, QUOTE, EVEN A LITTLE BIT OF A ROLE IN HIS MOTIVATIONS TO MAKE A DEAL WITH IRAN? >> NO, I THINK WHAT THE PRESIDENT IS CLAIMING IS THAT IRAN IS NOT GOING TO USE THAT AS. >> DOESN'T THAT SOUND OUT OF TOUCH, THOUGH?
I MEAN, AMERICANS ARE SPENDING SO MUCH FOR GAS. >> BECAUSE I THINK WHAT THE PRESIDENT IS MAKING CLEAR IS THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO LET IRAN USE THAT AS LEVERAGE. AND I THINK WHAT THE PRESIDENT IS MAKING CLEAR IS, IF THE IRANIANS THINK THAT THEY ARE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, USE OUR DOMESTIC POLITICS TO PRESSURE HIM INTO A BAD DEAL, THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
WE'VE TAKEN EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES TO KEEP GAS PRICES LOWER THAN THEY ARE IN SOME OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD, AND THEY WILL GO DOWN. >> JOINING ME NOW IS NBC NEWS SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT GABE GUTIERREZ, COVERING THE PRESIDENT'S TRIP IN BEIJING. BONNIE LIN, DIRECTOR OF THE CHINA POWER PROJECT AT THE CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES.
ALSO WITH ME ARE NBC NEWS SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT COURTNEY KUBE AND NBC NEWS CHIEF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND CHIEF WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT ANDREA MITCHELL. THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR STARTING US OFF. GABE, LET ME START WITH YOU.
TRAVELING WITH THE PRESIDENT A LOT ON THE AGENDA TODAY. LET'S START WITH IRAN. TALK TO ME ABOUT THE KEY TAKEAWAYS ON THAT TOPIC.
COMING FROM THE PRESIDENT'S BILATERAL DISCUSSION WITH PRESIDENT XI JINPING. >> WELL, WELL, KRISTEN, WHAT'S VERY INTERESTING IS WE HAVEN'T REALLY HEARD FROM THE CHINESE WHEN IT COMES TO IRAN. YOU MENTIONED THAT THE CHINESE MENTIONED TAIWAN RIGHT OFF THE BAT.
BUT SO FAR, PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS SAID THAT, YES, THAT PRESIDENT XI OFFERED TO HELP WHEN IT CAME TO THE IRAN WAR AND OFFERED TO HELP DO WHAT HE COULD TO REOPEN THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ. AND THE PRESIDENT. TRUMP ADDED THAT SHE MADE A COMMITMENT NOT TO PROVIDE WEAPONS TO IRAN.
SO FAR, THOUGH, WE HAVE NO CONFIRMATION ABOUT ANY OF THAT. AND IN FACT, ACCORDING TO NBC NEWS REPORTING, DAN DE LUCE, OUR COLLEAGUE DAN DE LUCE, ACCORDING TO TWO PEOPLE FAMILIAR WITH THE MATTER, THAT CHINESE STATE COMPANIES HAVE BEEN IN TALKS WITH IRANIAN OFFICIALS ABOUT POTENTIALLY SELLING WEAPONS TO IRAN THROUGH THIRD COUNTRIES TO CONCEAL THEIR ORIGIN. NOW, IT'S UNCLEAR IF THAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENED YET, BUT IT REALLY RAISES THE QUESTION ABOUT WHATEVER PRESIDENT XI IS SAYING TO PRESIDENT TRUMP.
WILL HE FOLLOW THROUGH ON THAT? STILL, THOUGH, TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS SO FAR SAY THAT IRAN EXCUSE ME, THAT CHINA AND THE U. S.
ARE ON THE SAME PAGE. AND SECRETARY RUBIO ALSO TELLING NBC NEWS THAT IRAN HAS AGREED THAT THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ SHOULD NOT BE MILITARIZED AND SHOULD HAVE NO TOLLS REQUIRED TO GO THROUGH IT, A POSITION THAT BOTH THE U. S.
AND CHINA SHARE. KRISTEN. >> YEAH, AND.
GABE, AS YOU SAY, TAIWAN WAS THE OTHER SIGNIFICANT TOPIC OF CONVERSATION. YOU HEARD SECRETARY RUBIO TELL TOM LLAMAS THERE THAT CHINA RAISED IT. THEY ALWAYS RAISE IT.
SO NO SURPRISE THERE. BUT PRESIDENT XI, WITH THIS WARNING OF POSSIBLE CLASHES, IF THE ISSUE OF TAIWAN IS NOT HANDLED WELL, IT WASN'T MENTIONED IN THE WHITE HOUSE READOUT. WHAT ARE YOUR SOURCES TELLING YOU ABOUT THOSE DISCUSSIONS?
GABE. >> WELL, LOOK, SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN TRYING TO DOWNPLAY THIS FOR QUITE SOME TIME, EVEN SEVERAL DAYS AGO, SAYING THAT THEY EXPECTED THE TAIWAN ISSUE TO COME UP. BUT KRISTEN, WHAT YOU POINTED OUT IS, IS RIGHT.
THE FACT IT'S NOT THAT IT CAME UP, IT'S JUST HOW IT CAME UP. IT CAME UP RIGHT OFF THE BAT BEFORE THE TWO HOUR MEETING BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. IT WAS EVEN FINISHED.
THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY WAS PUTTING OUT THAT STATEMENT, SAYING THAT PRESIDENT XI BROUGHT IT UP, CALLING IT THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE WITH ALL OF THE OTHER ISSUES THAT ARE LOOMING OVER THE SUMMIT. CHINA MADE A DISTINCT CHOICE TO RAISE THIS FIRST, PERHAPS LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR FUTURE CONFLICT AND RAMPING UP THE PRESSURE ON TAIWAN. >> KRISTEN AND GABE.
BEFORE I LET YOU GO THERE, WE KNOW THAT THE PRESIDENT IS THERE IN CHINA WITH SEVERAL BUSINESS EXECUTIVES, SOME REALLY EXTRAORDINARY SCENES THERE. HE ANNOUNCED THAT CHINA HAS AGREED TO BUY 200 BOEING JETS, BUT THAT DEAL NOT NECESSARILY ETCHED IN STONE. WHAT'S THE REALITY CHECK THERE?
>> WELL, LOOK, OFFICIALLY THAT HASN'T BEEN ANNOUNCED, ALTHOUGH THE PRESIDENT DID MENTION THAT IN AN INTERVIEW AND THE TREASURY SECRETARY HAVE ALLUDED TO IT. SO WE'RE EXPECTING MORE FIRM DETAILS, PERHAPS IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS AS THIS TRIP RAMP WRAPS UP. BUT KRISTEN, WE SHOULD ALSO MENTION THAT WE'VE HEARD ABOUT THIS BEFORE.
THERE'S BEEN OTHER PREVIOUS DEALS TO BUY BOEING AIRCRAFT. AND THE TRUTH IS, THIS TAKES A LONG TIME FOR THESE AIRCRAFT TO BE BUILT, POSSIBLY INTO THE NEXT DECADE. RIGHT NOW, BOEING HAS MORE THAN 6000 OR SO UNFILLED ORDERS.
ONLY SO FAR THIS YEAR, ONLY 190 OR SO OF THESE AIRCRAFT HAVE BEEN DELIVERED. SO EVEN IF CHINA. THAT'S A BIG QUESTION.
IF CHINA FOLLOWS THROUGH ON THE PURCHASE OF THESE AIRCRAFT, IT COULD BE MANY YEARS BEFORE WE SEE ANY ECONOMIC BENEFIT FROM BENEFIT FROM THIS. HOWEVER, THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS EXPECTED TO TOUT THAT AS A REASON OR AS A WAY THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP IS TRYING TO SECURE AMERICAN JOBS IN MANUFACTURING. KRISTEN.
>> ALL RIGHT. GABE GUTIERREZ, TRAVELING WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP, REPORTING FOR US THERE OVERNIGHT, BEIJING TIME. GABE, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
APPRECIATE ALL YOUR GREAT REPORTING. LET ME TURN TO BONNIE LIN. NOW, BONNIE, TELL ME WHAT YOUR KEY TAKEAWAYS ARE.
SO FAR FROM WHAT WE HAVE WITNESSED. WE SAW THAT VERY WARM WELCOME ROLLING OUT THE RED CARPET FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP. THAT BILATERAL MEETING BETWEEN THE TWO, THE BUSINESS EXECUTIVES THERE.
WHAT ARE YOUR TAKEAWAYS? >> SURE. THANK YOU.
KRISTEN. I WOULD START OFF BY SAYING NOTHING SO FAR HAS BEEN SURPRISING. WE KNEW GOING INTO THIS MEETING THAT TAIWAN WAS THE TOP TOPIC FOR CHINA.
IN ADDITION TO STABILIZING US-CHINA RELATIONS, I WILL POINT OUT THAT ONE THING THAT XI JINPING HAS MADE CLEAR IS IN THE CHINA'S CHINA CHINESE READOUT OF WHAT SHE SAID. HE SAID THAT THE TWO SIDES HAVE AGREED TO A NEW VISION OF CONSTRUCTIVE AND STABLE, CONSTRUCTIVE RELATIONS FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS. SO I THINK THE EXACT TERM WAS CONSTRUCTIVE STRATEGIC STABILITY FOR THE TWO COUNTRIES.
SO IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THAT IS CARRIED OUT MOVING FORWARD ON TAIWAN. I WOULD JUST NOTE THAT THE WORDING THAT PRESIDENT XI JINPING SAID IS WHAT WE'VE SEEN SO FAR, THE MOST SEVERE AND MOST BLUNT. AND I WOULD NOTE THAT EVEN THOUGH HE DID NOT EXPLICITLY ASK THE UNITED STATES TO DO ANYTHING, HE DID ASK THE UNITED STATES TO EXERCISE EXTRA CAUTION IN HANDLING THE TAIWAN QUESTION.
SO I THINK THAT'S IMPLIED. DELAY THE U. S.
ARMS SALES TO TAIWAN. LOTS OF LOTS OF THINGS ARE IMPLIED BY WHAT PRESIDENT XI JINPING SAID. SO I AGREE THAT MOVING FORWARD, WE NEED TO SEE.
CHINA IS VERY CAREFULLY WATCHING WHAT THE UNITED STATES IS DOING THERE ON IRAN. I DON'T EXPECT CHINA TO BE PUTTING MUCH PRESSURE ON IRAN TO CHANGE ITS POLICIES OR TO DO TO DO MUCH ON THE NUCLEAR SIDE. IT WAS INTERESTING THAT ACCORDING TO THE U.
S. READOUT, THAT CHINA AGREED THAT IRAN SHOULD NOT HAVE NUCLEAR WEAPONS. BUT I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT RIGHT BEFORE MEETING WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP, THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER HAD MET WITH THE IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, AND CHINA HAD ALSO SAID THAT IT SUPPORTED IRAN'S PEACEFUL USE OF NUCLEAR ENERGY.
SO, AGAIN, CHINA IS WALKING A VERY FINE LINE RIGHT THERE. >> IS THERE ANYTHING, BONNIE, THAT YOU THINK THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP COULD PRESS PRESIDENT XI JINPING ON IN TERMS OF, FOR EXAMPLE, HELPING TO REOPEN THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ? DO YOU ANTICIPATE THERE WILL BE ANY FORWARD MOVEMENT IN THAT AREA?
>> SO CHINA IS INTERESTED IN OPENING THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ BECAUSE THE CLOSURE OF THE STRAIT IS IMPACTING CHINA ECONOMICALLY. BUT THE PROBLEM IS CHINA DOESN'T WANT TO TAKE ANY HITS, DOESN'T WANT TO ACTUALLY EXERT, DOESN'T WANT TO HAVE ANY COSTS FOR DOING THAT. AND IT'S NOT WILLING TO PUT SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC PRESSURE ON IRAN.
SO I EXPECT CHINA TO CONTINUE TO HAVE DIPLOMACY WITH IRAN. BUT I DON'T SEE CHINA TAKING ANY MAJOR POLITICAL OR ECONOMIC ACTION TO MAKE THAT POSSIBLE. >> WHAT WILL YOU BE WATCHING FOR?
>> GO AHEAD. >> YEAH. >> VERY GOOD.
IN TERMS OF WHAT PRESIDENT TRUMP COULD MAKE, ASK FOR THAT. I'M WATCHING FOR THE NEXT DAY OR SO IS WHAT MORE CAN COME FROM THE ECONOMIC TRUCE, EXTENDING THE ECONOMIC TRUCE. AND WHAT MORE COULD WE COULD WE SEE IN TERMS OF EITHER MORE CHINESE AGREEMENT IN TERMS OF OPENING ITS MARKETS TO U.
S. BUSINESSES? OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S A 14 CEOS ACCOMPANYING PRESIDENT TRUMP.
WHAT MORE WE MIGHT SEE ON SOYBEANS AND AGRICULTURE, WHICH WE HAVEN'T HEARD OF YET. AND WILL THERE BE MORE PROMISES IN GENERAL, IN TERMS OF CHINESE INVESTMENT IN THE UNITED STATES? >> ALL RIGHT.
BONNIE LIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR INSIGHTS. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE, ANDREA AND COURTNEY, LET ME TURN TO YOU.
ANDREA, LET'S START WITH TAIWAN. YOU HEARD BONNIE SAY NO SURPRISE, OF COURSE, THAT CHINA RAISED IT. BUT BUT CERTAINLY YOU SOME OF ITS MOST BLUNT LANGUAGE THAT HAS BEEN USED IN A BILATERAL MEETING WITH THE PRESIDENT.
WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THAT? AND THE FACT THAT THE WHITE HOUSE DIDN'T MENTION TAIWAN IN ITS READOUT? >> I THOUGHT IT WAS TOUGHER THAN I EXPECTED, HAVING WATCHED THESE SUMMITS BEFORE.
AND THAT IN PARTICULAR IN THE CHINESE READOUT, NOT ONLY WAS THE WORD CONFLICT USED, BUT THAT THE CHINESE READOUT SAID THAT SHE ALSO SAID, YOU KNOW, RAISED THE QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER THE TWO POWERS CAN AVOID THE THUCYDIDES TRAP. WELL, A BOOK BY GRAHAM ELLISON, THE HARVARD PROFESSOR, ENTITLED THE THUCYDIDES TRAP DURING TRUMP, ONE WHICH CAME OUT DURING TRUMP. ONE POINTS OUT THAT IN OVER 500 YEARS, WHEN A MAJOR POWER, A NEW POWER, CHALLENGES A SUPERPOWER, THERE IS CONFLICT.
THEY GO TO WAR 12 OUT OF 16 TIMES THAT. THAT'S HAPPENED IN THE PAST 500 YEARS, FIVE CENTURIES. AND THIS WOULD BE THE 17TH.
SO THE ODDS ARE VERY MUCH FAVORING CONFLICT. WHEN A NEW RISING POWER, CHINA, TRIES TO CHALLENGE THE UNITED STATES, THE PREDOMINANT SUPERPOWER. AND THAT'S AN OMINOUS, VERY, YOU KNOW, HISTORIC ALLUSION BY XI, THE KIND OF THE KIND OF ILLUSION, YOU KNOW, COURTNEY AND KRISTEN, YOU KNOW, IS NOT TYPICALLY RAISED BY DONALD TRUMP IN THESE KINDS OF MEETINGS.
SO HE, YOU KNOW, DOESN'T IN THE AMERICAN READOUTS, THEY'RE VERY SIMPLE AND PLAIN VANILLA. AND IN THE CHINESE GO INTO GREAT DETAILS, WHICH SEEMS TO REFLECT WHAT MAY ACTUALLY HAVE HAPPENED IN THE MEETING. >> WELL, AND WHAT'S YOU'VE COVERED SO MANY OF THESE TRIPS.
YOU KNOW, THAT THOSE READOUTS CONTAIN SO MUCH INFORMATION THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY WRITTEN ON THE PAGE. ANDREW. YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT TO POINT THAT OUT.
COURTNEY, LET ME TURN TO YOU BECAUSE AS I WAS JUST DISCUSSING WITH BONNIE LIN, ONE OF THE BIG QUESTIONS IS ABOUT ARMS SALES TO TAIWAN. WILL THERE BE ANOTHER ONE? THE IMPLICATION OF WHAT PRESIDENT XI JINPING WAS SAYING TO PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS, DO NOT SEND MORE WEAPONS TO TAIWAN.
HOW DO YOU SEE THAT UNFOLDING? >> AND IT COMES ON THE HEELS OF JUST A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, WHEN THE U. S.
APPROVED THE BIGGEST ARMS PACKAGE TO TAIWAN IN HISTORY, OVER $11 BILLION. AND IT INCLUDED SOME THINGS THAT WERE VERY CLEARLY FOR TAIWAN'S DEFENSE OF IN THE CASE OF AN ATTACK BY CHINA, THERE IS SUPPOSED TO BE ANOTHER ARMS PACKAGE THAT IS EVEN BIGGER. THAT'S UNDER CONSIDERATION RIGHT NOW.
IT'S NOT BEEN APPROVED. IT'S NOT REALLY CLEAR WHERE THAT STANDS. AND THAT ONE INCLUDES SOME VERY SOME ADVANCED AIR DEFENSE SYSTEMS.
LOOK, BASED OFF OF THE READOUTS AND WHAT WE'VE HEARD SO FAR, THERE'S NO INDICATION THAT ARMS SALES ARE GOING TO STOP TO TAIWAN. BUT THERE IS ALSO THE POSSIBILITY THAT IF, IN FACT, THERE'S ENOUGH PRESSURE FROM THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT THAT IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THE U. S.
COULD SLOW ROLL THEM. AND FRANKLY, RIGHT NOW, WHEN THE U. S.
IS ALREADY HAVING THEIR OWN PROBLEMS WITH MUNITIONS AND PROVIDING THEM TO TO NATO FOR UKRAINE, YOU COULD SEE THAT BEING ONE OF THE WAYS THAT THEY WOULD GO FORWARD. >> THERE IS SOME SUGGESTION THAT THERE ARE ALREADY SLOW ROLLING DELIVERIES HAVE NOT COME AS QUICKLY AS THE TAIWANESE HAD WANTED. >> THEIR YEARS.
THEY ALREADY TAKE YEARS, YOU KNOW. >> I KNOW YOU'LL BOTH TRACK THAT VERY CLOSELY. ANDREA, I WANT TO PLAY ONE MORE EXCHANGE BETWEEN OUR TOM LLAMAS AND SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO.
GET YOUR REACTION ON THE OTHER SIDE. TAKE A LOOK. >> CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT EXACTLY DID PRESIDENT TRUMP ASK PRESIDENT XI FOR WHEN IT COMES TO IRAN?
>> HE DIDN'T ASK HIM FOR ANYTHING. WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR CHINA'S HELP. WE DON'T NEED THEIR HELP.
>> BUT HE RAISES THE ISSUE. >> WE RAISED THE ISSUE TO MAKE CLEAR WHAT OUR POSITION IS. >> WAS THAT NOTABLE, THAT HE SAID WE DIDN'T WE DON'T NEED THEIR HELP.
WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THAT? >> THAT'S ALSO WHAT THE PRESIDENT SUGGESTED IN PART OF HIS COMMENTS JUST BEFORE LEAVING ON THE SOUTH LAWN, WHEN AT ONE POINT HE SAID, YES, IT'S GOING TO BE A LONG TALK. AND THEN ABOUT 30S LATER, HE SAID, WE'RE NOT GOING TO REALLY TALK ABOUT THAT BECAUSE WE DON'T NEED THEIR HELP.
I THINK THEY'RE LOWBALLING IT, LOWERING EXPECTATIONS AND I THINK FROM OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN SAID SUBSEQUENTLY. IN OTHER INTERVIEWS, IT INDICATED THAT THEY DID ASK OR AT LEAST RAISE THE ISSUE OF THE STRAIT. AND ACTUALLY, AS BONNIE WAS POINTED OUT, CHINA DOES NOT WANT TO PRESSURE IRAN RIGHT NOW AND HAS A LOT OF STOCKPILES.
THEY'VE GOT ENOUGH OIL AND NATURAL GAS THAT THEY'RE PROVIDING SOME OF THEIR ASIAN NEIGHBORS WHO ARE REALLY STRAIGHT, YOU KNOW, IN A STRANGLEHOLD BECAUSE OF THE STRAIT. AND THEY ALSO WANT TO THEY DO WANT TO REOPEN IT, THOUGH, PARTLY BECAUSE OF THEIR GULF PARTNERS. THEY'RE VERY CLOSE TO THE SAUDIS AND THE OTHER GULF COUNTRIES THAT NEED THE STRAIT TO BE OPENED.
SO THEY WANT IT OPEN, BUT THEY DON'T WANT TO PRESSURE IRAN. AND THEY'D KIND OF LIKE TO SEE THE PRESIDENT AND THE U. S.
TWISTING IN THE WIND ON THIS. >> WELL, IT'S CERTAINLY WHEN HE RETURNS HOME, GOING TO BE ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES THAT HE IS STILL GOING TO HAVE TO TRY TO DEAL WITH. COURTNEY, LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT SOME NEW REPORTING THAT YOU HAVE.
CHINESE STATE CONTROLLED COMPANIES HAVE DISCUSSED WITH IRANIAN OFFICIALS A POSSIBLE PLAN TO SELL WEAPONS. WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THAT? >> YES.
SO WE DON'T KNOW IF ANY HAVE ACTUALLY MADE THEIR WAY. AND WE ACTUALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF WEAPONS SPECIFICALLY THEY'D BE LOOKING AT. BUT THE IDEA WOULD BE THAT IT WOULD BE THESE STATE CONTROLLED COMPANIES THAT WOULD PROVIDE THEM THROUGH AN INTERMEDIARY, THROUGH ANOTHER COUNTRY, SO THAT IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO TRACE, AND THEY WOULD ULTIMATELY MAKE THEIR WAY TO IRAN.
WE'VE SEEN CHINA, AND I'M JUST GOING TO USE THE WORD MEDDLE IN CONFLICTS RECENTLY, INCLUDING IN UKRAINE. BUT THE REAL DIFFERENCE HERE IS CHINA, AS FAR AS WE KNOW. AND WE ASK THAT WE STILL ASK THE QUESTION ALL THE TIME.
AS FAR AS WE KNOW, CHINA IS ONLY PROVIDING NON-LETHAL SUPPORT TO RUSSIA FOR USE IN UKRAINE IF, IN FACT, THEY WERE TO MOVE TO LETHAL SUPPORT WEAPONS FOR IRAN TO USE, THAT WOULD BE SIGNIFICANT HERE. >> THAT WOULD BE A RED LINE. YES, THEY'VE DONE DUAL USE IN THE PAST THAT'S BEEN RAISED AT VARIOUS CONFERENCES.
YOU AND I WERE IN MUNICH WHEN THAT WAS RAISED. BUT IN FACT, IF IT'S ACTUALLY WEAPONS THAT WOULD, I THINK, BE AN AMERICAN RED LINE. >> YEAH.
>> LET ME ASK BECAUSE THERE'S ANOTHER PIECE OF REPORTING I WANT TO ASK ABOUT CONCERNS ABOUT THE PENTAGON'S MUNITIONS STOCKPILE. COURTNEY, LET ME GET YOU TO WEIGH IN. AND THEN, ANDREW, I'LL GET YOUR THOUGHTS.
>> I MEAN, THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN RAISED AND THE ADMINISTRATION JUST CONTINUES TO DENY IT. SO WE NOW KNOW THAT THE PENTAGON, DESPITE THEIR CLAIMS THAT THEY ARE THEY ARE BUILDING UP THEIR STOCKPILES. AND THERE'S TWO AND THREE AND FOUR TIMES AS MANY THAT ARE BEING BUILT.
WE KNOW, ACCORDING TO TO TWO U. S. OFFICIALS AND TWO SOURCES FAMILIAR, THAT, IN FACT, THERE HAVE NOT BEEN ANY NEW CONTRACTS PENNED OR INKED TO ACTUALLY MOVE FORWARD WITH BUILDING THESE MUNITIONS.
AND WHY THAT'S SO IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE THE TIME THAT IT TAKES. SO THINK ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE A TOMAHAWK. IT'S BEEN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT IN BOTH IN THE CONFLICTS WITH IRAN LAST YEAR, THE 12 DAY WAR.
AND THEN DURING THIS WAR, THIS YEAR, THE U. S. HAS BURNED THROUGH ABOUT SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 1000, POTENTIALLY MORE OF THEIR 3000 TOMAHAWKS.
IT TAKES YEARS TO CREATE THOSE. AND THEY ONLY MAKE SEVERAL HUNDRED A YEAR IF, IN FACT, THEY ARE SO MUCH IN THE HOLE AND THEY ARE NOT ALREADY BUILDING NEW ONES, THAT MEANS WE'RE YEARS OUT FROM ACTUALLY REBUILDING THE STOCKPILE. >> ANDREA, WE HAVE SOME SOUND WITH SECRETARY HEGSETH RESPONDING TO QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MUNITIONS THAT THE PENTAGON HAS EARLIER THIS WEEK.
TAKE A LOOK AND I'LL GET YOUR REACTION ON THE OTHER SIDE. >> I THINK, FIRST OF ALL, THE MUNITIONS ISSUE ISSUE HAS BEEN FOOLISHLY AND UNHELPFULLY OVERSTATED WHERE WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE HAVE. WE HAVE PLENTY OF WHAT WE NEED.
AND THE REASON WE'RE ACCELERATING A LOT OF THIS IS BECAUSE THE DEPARTMENT'S BEEN STATIC IN HOW IT DOES THIS KIND OF BUSINESS. >> ANDREA. >> THAT IS GOBBLEDYGOOK.
I MEAN, HE'S NOT ANSWERING THE QUESTION. AND AS COURTNEY POINTS OUT, AND WHO TRACKS THIS SO CLOSELY, THERE'S A REAL ISSUE OF THE SPEND THE SPEND RATE ON THESE WEAPONS. >> WELL, AND IT'S OBVIOUSLY YET ANOTHER ISSUE THAT'S GOING TO LOOM SO LARGE OVER THIS WAR WITH IRAN THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE OVER IN 4 TO 5 WEEKS, AND NOW IT IS STILL ONGOING.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, ANDREA MITCHELL. COURTNEY KUBE, GREAT TO HAVE YOU BOTH HERE. REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
