Why US House lawmakers are on a trip to China
What's the story
A bipartisan United States House delegation, headed by Representative Adam Smith, has landed in China. This is the first visit by a House of Representatives delegation since 2019. The visit aims to stabilize the strained bilateral relations between the two major economies. The group will meet Chinese Premier Li Qiang at Beijing's Great Hall of the People.
Diplomatic outreach
Visit follows Trump-Xi phone call
The visit comes after a phone call between President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping. The two leaders are trying to find a way out of the tensions that have strained ties. These tensions include trade disputes, US restrictions on semiconductor chips, TikTok ownership issues, Chinese actions in the South China Sea, and Taiwan-related matters.
Diplomatic dialogue
Smith emphasizes importance of dialogue
Smith, a Democratic US Representative and the current top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, stressed on NBC News on September 9 that opening up bilateral dialogue was important. He said, "Merely talking with China is not endorsing everything that they do." He added, "It's like China is a big, powerful country. We are a big, powerful country. I think we need to talk about that."
Defense diplomacy
First defense talks since January
Shortly after the visit was announced, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth spoke to his Chinese counterpart Dong Jun for the first time. He emphasized that the United States does not want conflict with China but will defend its vital interests in Asia-Pacific. This highlights the importance of diplomatic engagement between Washington and Beijing amid ongoing tensions.