A bipartisan U.S. congressional delegation arrived in Beijing on Saturday, marking the first such visit to China since 2019 and signaling an effort to stabilize relations that have steadily worsened over the last several years.
Led by Representative Adam Smith (D-WA), the ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, the delegation included Representatives Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Ro Khanna (D-CA), and Michael Baumgartner (R-WA). The group met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the Great Hall of the People, where they emphasized the importance of renewed military-to-military dialogue and called the visit an opportunity to “break the ice” between the two countries.
The delegation’s trip comes just two days after a phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The call, their first direct contact since Trump reassumed office in January, lasted nearly two hours and covered a wide range of issues including trade, fentanyl trafficking, the Russia-Ukraine war, and Middle East peace efforts. Both leaders agreed to meet in person at the upcoming APEC Forum in South Korea, scheduled to begin on October 31, and to arrange a state visit exchange in 2026.
The congressional visit highlights how strained U.S.-China relations have become. Since Trump’s first term, Washington has steadily shifted toward a policy of strategic competition with Beijing. During the Biden administration, tensions escalated further, particularly over Taiwan. The 2022 visit by then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taipei prompted a sharp reaction from Beijing, while Washington’s deployment of special forces to the Kinmen Islands and increased military aid to Taiwan deepened mistrust.
Trump’s return to the White House in 2025 saw a renewed emphasis on countering China in the South China Sea, with U.S. missile deployments in the Philippines and new weapons transfers to Taiwan. However, a tariff war launched in April quickly escalated into a broader trade conflict, exposing America’s reliance on Chinese rare earth exports. Facing economic blowback, Trump agreed to a temporary trade truce in May, later extended until August.
The delegation is due to remain in China until September 25th.