During rare visit to China, US lawmakers meet Premier Li Qiang, push for military dialogue

A bipartisan delegation of US lawmakers met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Sunday, urging greater military-to-military dialogue in a rare congressional visit amid strained US-China ties.

The last such trip by senators took place in 2023, while Sunday’s delegation marked the first House of Representatives visit to Beijing since 2019.

Premier Li described the visit, led by Representative Adam Smith, as an “icebreaking trip” that could help strengthen bilateral relations. He stressed that “more exchanges and cooperation” between the two nations would not only benefit both countries but also carry global importance.

Smith, a Democrat and member of the House Armed Services Committee, noted that both sides were aligned on the central goal of the discussions.

”Certainly, trade and economy is on the top of the list … (but also) we’re very focused on our military-to-military conversations,” he said in opening remarks. “As a member of the Armed Services Committee, I’m deeply concerned that our two militaries don’t communicate more.” The delegation also included Michael Baumgartner, a Republican member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, as well as Ro Khanna and Chrissy Houlahan, both Democrats on the House Armed Services Committee. The lawmakers are in China until Thursday.

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US-China relations have taken a downturn since President Donald Trump’s first term and have been hobbled by trade tensions, the status of the self-ruled island of Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, Beijing’s support for Russia and China’s vast claims in the disputed South China Sea.

“China and the US are the two most powerful and influential countries in the world, it’s really important that we get along, and we find a way to peacefully coexist in the world,” Smith said. ”I really welcome your remarks about wanting to build and strengthen that relationship.” Trump said he would meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping at a regional summit taking place at the end of October in South Korea and will visit China in the “early part of next year,” following a lengthy phone call between the two on Friday.

With inputs from agencies