US Lawmakers Visit China, Call to ‘Thaw’ Tensions

A group of US lawmakers from the House of Representatives made a rare visit to Beijing on Sunday, meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and stressing the need for greater communication between the world's two largest economies. Both global powers are reportedly taking new steps to stabilize their strained relationship.

This is the first visit to China by a US congressional delegation since 2019. Official visits were halted in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and escalating tensions over the virus's origin and other geopolitical issues.

According to Reuters, the trip comes just days after a phone call between former US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, signaling a potential move towards easing tensions. The two nations have long been at odds over trade, US restrictions on semiconductor chips, TikTok ownership, China's activities in the South China Sea, and the Taiwan issue.

In a pool report organized by the US Embassy in Beijing, Chinese Premier Li Qiang told the visiting lawmakers that their visit represents a "thawing of the ice" and could pave the way for progress in bilateral relations.

The US delegation is led by Democrat Representative Adam Smith, who told Premier Li, “We acknowledge that both China and the US have work to do to strengthen our relationship. There should not be a six or seven-year gap between visits like this from the House of Representatives.”

Smith emphasized the importance of continued engagement: “We need more exchanges like this, and we hope, as you said, that this visit will help thaw the ice and lead to many more such exchanges going forward.”

The visit is being viewed as a cautious but positive step towards re-establishing dialogue and trust between Washington and Beijing.