U.S. Lawmakers Plan Bipartisan Trip to China Amid Rising Tensions

A bipartisan delegation of U.S. lawmakers from the House of Representatives will travel to China later this month, led by Democratic Representative Adam Smith of Washington. Smith, the ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee and its former chair, confirmed the visit but declined to share further details.

According to NBC News, both Democrats and Republicans from the Armed Services Committee will join the trip, though current committee chair, Republican Mike Rogers, will not participate. The exact schedule remains unclear.

Smith emphasized that the visit aims to maintain dialogue between Washington and Beijing despite escalating disputes over trade tariffs, technology, cybersecurity, TikTok ownership, and policies concerning Hong Kong and Taiwan. “Merely talking with China is not endorsing everything they do,” Smith said, stressing the importance of communication between two global powers.

The visit comes shortly after the U.S. and China extended their tariff truce for 90 days, keeping in place 30% U.S. duties on Chinese imports and 10% Chinese tariffs on American goods. However, both sides appear uncertain on how to move beyond the temporary pause.

When asked whether the group would meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, Smith responded, “We’re asking. We don’t know yet.” The potential meeting would carry symbolic weight as U.S.-China relations remain strained.

Tensions deepened last week when Xi, joined by Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at a military parade in Beijing, warned that the world faced a choice between peace and war.

The planned congressional trip highlights the U.S. effort to keep diplomatic channels open with Beijing, even as geopolitical rivalries intensify.