7-10-2023 (SHANGHAI) A delegation of United States lawmakers, led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, arrived in China on Saturday (Oct 7) for discussions aimed at alleviating tensions between the two countries. This visit marks the latest effort by US officials to engage with Beijing and improve relations.
Schumer and his delegation are scheduled to meet with senior officials in Shanghai before proceeding to Beijing, where they are reportedly seeking a meeting with President Xi Jinping, according to Bloomberg. The delegation’s plane landed in Shanghai in the early afternoon, and they were welcomed by Ambassador Nicholas Burns.
Expressing his expectations for the visit, Schumer stated that he hopes for “very productive discussions” during the trip. Accompanying Schumer is Republican Senator Mike Crapo, who represents Idaho, a state home to Micron, a prominent chip manufacturer currently caught in the midst of US-China disputes over semiconductors.
China has expressed its welcome to the delegation and hopes that the visit will enhance the lawmakers’ understanding of the country, as stated by the Beijing foreign ministry. The ministry further emphasized that the trip would contribute to promoting dialogue and exchanges between the legislative bodies of the two countries, injecting positive elements into the development of China-US relations.
US media reports suggest that the delegation will raise various issues during their visit, including the climate for US businesses in China and human rights concerns. The senators’ offices have also indicated that the delegation will make additional stops in South Korea and Japan, according to The New York Times.
This visit is part of a series of high-level visits by US officials to China, reflecting both sides’ efforts to defuse tensions across a range of security and economic issues that have escalated in recent years. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, and Climate Envoy John Kerry have all visited China this year.
President Joe Biden has also expressed the possibility of meeting President Xi in San Francisco in November, as both countries seek to reset their relations. However, Biden clarified that no meeting has been scheduled yet. Biden is scheduled to host leaders from the Asia-Pacific region on November 16 and 17 in San Francisco during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. Speculation has arisen regarding the potential for a rapprochement between the two leaders during this gathering.
The White House has reportedly begun making plans for a meeting on the sidelines of the APEC summit to stabilize relations, according to The Washington Post. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is also expected to visit Washington before the APEC summit takes place.
