Dhaka, Sept. 28 -- US President Donald Trump asked Chinese leader Xi Jinping whether Beijing would like to purchase American weapons, the US ambassador to China has said -- a claim the White House and State Department were quick to distance themselves from.

Ambassador David Perdue made the remarks in a television interview, saying Trump had raised the question during Xi's visit to the United States last week, says Channel News Asia.

"President Trump continues to say, 'Hey, we sell arms to other people around the world,'" Perdue was quoted as saying by CNA, adding that arms sales come up every time the two leaders meet.

White House officials told US media there were no plans to sell weapons to China, and the State Department was more di...