Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., wants to have special envoy status bestowed on him as he prepares for a meeting with Chinese leaders. The Financial Times reports he made the request to the Trump administration asserting that status could help him create an opening for potential talks between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Sen. Daines is scheduled to be in Beijing next week to attend a Chinese business development conference. The senator worked in China for six years while employed by Proctor and Gamble.

The Times said Sen. Daines made the request to the Trump administration in a somewhat quiet fashion so more hawkish leaders on the Trump team would not interfere.

Sen. Daines serves on the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the U.S.-China Working Group which addresses international relations.

Daines has taken a hard line on China, posting on his Senate web page, "China poses a very real threat to our national security, whether it's their military investments, economic development via forced technology transfers, outright theft or China's rapidly developing and innovative tech sector."

The White House has not announced granting the senator's request.

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