For the first time since 2019, a US House delegation traveled to China this week with a clear mission: to advocate for improved military communication between Washington and Beijing. Their aim is to significantly reduce the risk of accidental clashes and foster greater stability in a critical global relationship.
This diverse, bipartisan group, largely drawn from the House Armed Services Committee and spearheaded by Washington Democrat Rep. Adam Smith, held high-level discussions. They engaged with Premier Li Qiang, China’s defense minister, the vice premier overseeing economic policy, the foreign minister, and the leader of China’s legislative body, underscoring the serious nature of their visit.
This diplomatic outreach followed closely on the heels of a phone conversation between President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, where trade and a potential TikTok agreement were key topics. Both nations have been actively striving to mend relations, which were strained by tariff disputes earlier in the year. Notably, Mr. Trump has publicly hinted at a possible visit to China in the upcoming year.
Despite these efforts, significant disagreements persist, particularly concerning China’s increasingly assertive military activities in the Pacific. Chinese vessels are frequently navigating waters traditionally patrolled by the United States, and there have been multiple accusations from the US military of Chinese aircraft flying perilously close to American planes, almost leading to mid-air incidents. Conversely, China asserts that American provocations are escalating these dangers.
Addressing the press during a break in Tuesday’s meetings, Representative Smith, a leading Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, emphasized the critical stakes. ‘China boasts the world’s fastest-growing military and nuclear capabilities, while the US commands the largest military and nuclear arsenal,’ he stated. ‘It is profoundly dangerous for us to lack consistent communication regarding our respective strengths and strategic intentions.’
He elaborated on the urgency, noting, ‘We’ve witnessed our ships and planes, alongside theirs, operating far too close for comfort.’ Smith confirmed he had brought up these concerns directly with Premier Li and Defense Minister Dong Jun.
According to an official summary, China’s defense ministry reported that Minister Dong expressed a desire to forge a ‘stable and positive’ military relationship with the United States. However, he also stressed that the visiting lawmakers bore a responsibility to help enhance communication, reiterating China’s unwavering commitment to defending its sovereignty and security.
Smith conceded that significant gaps persist between the two nations on several crucial issues. He highlighted US priorities like securing rare earth metal supplies and controlling fentanyl precursors – topics conspicuously absent from China’s official summaries of this week’s discussions.
Furthermore, former President Trump has accused China of backing out of a substantial deal to purchase Boeing jets from the American manufacturer. Ambassador David Perdue, newly appointed to China, emphasized at the press conference that completing this ‘huge order’ of Boeing aircraft was ‘very important to the president,’ suggesting the negotiation was in its final stages.
The delegation also featured prominent figures such as Michael Baumgartner, a Republican from the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Democrats Ro Khanna and Chrissy Houlahan, both members of the House Armed Services Committee.
Ambassador Perdue, a former US Senator from Georgia, lauded the representatives as ‘pioneers’ for their role in revitalizing dialogue between the two nations, a diplomatic channel he noted had been significantly curtailed since the onset of the pandemic.
Perdue acknowledged the political courage required for this trip, given the prevailing bipartisan hawkish sentiment towards Beijing. While many American lawmakers have steered clear of Beijing, some have instead chosen to visit Taiwan, which China claims as its territory, a move consistently met with strong objections from the Chinese government.
‘This undertaking is far from easy for them; they may face political repercussions back home,’ Perdue admitted, expressing his hope for many more such critical diplomatic exchanges in the future.
Chinese officials, too, offered a guarded but optimistic assessment of the visit. During Sunday’s introductory remarks, Premier Li characterized the delegation’s trip as an ‘ice-breaking’ endeavor, one he noted was being watched keenly by the Chinese populace.
Even the Global Times, a tabloid controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, chimed in with an editorial, hailing the visit as a sign of ‘significant progress in stabilizing bilateral relations.’
However, the editorial also tempered its optimism with a caution, highlighting the widespread perception within China that the US Congress largely represents a bastion of anti-China sentiment.
Prior to the visit, Mr. Smith had indicated that the delegation sought a meeting with President Xi, though its confirmation was uncertain. By Tuesday, the lawmakers made no mention of such a meeting. Their departure from China was scheduled for Thursday.
It’s worth noting that President Xi had previously met with Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, then the Democratic majority leader, during a bipartisan Senate delegation to Beijing in 2023. Until this current visit, that had been the sole congressional visit to China since the pre-pandemic era.