A bipartisan group of House lawmakers will travel to China later this month, marking the first official visit by members of the chamber since 2019.
NBC News reported that the trip is being organized by Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., the former chair and current ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee.
Smith confirmed the visit, noting that both Democrats and Republicans on the committee will participate, though Chair Mike Rogers, R-Ala., will not be part of the delegation.
"I think it's fairly significant. It's part of wanting to try to open up a dialogue between the U.S. and China. And I personally think it's important that you do that," Smith said in an interview.
"Merely talking with China is not endorsing everything that they do. It's like China is a big, powerful country. We are a big, powerful country. I think we need to talk about that," he added. "So there's no significance at the timing. I think it should happen more often, on a frequent basis."
Details of the itinerary have not been released, though Smith said the delegation will also stop in Cambodia. Taiwan is not expected to be included. Asked if the group would meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Smith said, "We're asking. We don't know yet."
These are tense times between the U.S. and China. The U.S.-China trade war this year has seen both dramatic escalation and tentative thawing. In April, under President Donald Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs invoking emergency powers, reciprocal duties skyrocketed — peaking at 145% on Chinese imports and 125% on U.S. goods — sparking widespread economic discomfort.
By mid-May, however, both sides agreed to a 90-day tariff truce: U.S. duties dropped to about 30% on Chinese goods, with China reducing its retaliatory tariffs to around 10%.
On the geopolitical front, China is deepening its relationship with Russia. The two, along with Mongolia, just concluded their first joint border defense drills. At the same time, India — hit by recent U.S. tariffs of 50% on its goods tied to oil purchases from Russia — is balancing its strategic relationships.
Despite Washington's pressure, New Delhi continues to strengthen ties with both Moscow and Beijing, reflecting a policy leaning toward a global realignment, which prompted a terse comment from Trump.
Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
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