A delegation of U.S. lawmakers met with Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun on Monday, marking the first visit by the House of Representatives to Beijing in six years. The discussions were aimed at strengthening exchanges, particularly military-to-military communication.
The bipartisan delegation was led by Democratic U.S. Representative Adam Smith, the current senior Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, which oversees the U.S. Department of Defence and armed forces.
"We are the first delegation from the United States House of Representatives since 2019, and we strongly believe there should be more frequent visits and more robust discussions," Smith told Dong.
"We want to open up communication channels, particularly regarding military matters," Smith added, according to a pool report organised by the U.S. embassy in Beijing.
Trip follows leaders' call
Dong stated that the visit represented a "good" phase in efforts to strengthen China-U.S. communications, according to the pool report.
He urged the lawmakers to "eliminate interfering and restrictive factors and adopt constructive and pragmatic measures" to help improve military relations and bilateral ties, as reported by China's state-run news agency Xinhua.
Dong also remarked that the Chinese military is eager to build stable and positive military ties based on respect and peaceful coexistence, while safeguarding national sovereignty, security, and development interests.
The visit followed a call on Friday between Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, aimed at finding a way out of strained relations exacerbated by trade tensions, U.S. restrictions on semiconductor chips, the ownership of TikTok, Chinese activities in the South China Sea, and issues related to Taiwan.
The leaders agreed to continue talks on the sidelines of a forum in South Korea at the end of October. Trump also stated he would visit China early next year, and Xi would visit the U.S. at a later date.
In a separate meeting on Monday with China's Vice Premier He Lifeng, the visiting U.S. lawmakers were urged to "engage in candid communication, enhance trust, and resolve doubts" in order to develop stable, healthy, and sustainable trade and economic relations, according to Xinhua.
On Sunday, the U.S. lawmakers were welcomed by Premier Li Qiang, China's second-highest political leader.
Formal House visits were halted in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and relations deteriorated quickly due to heated debates over the origins of the coronavirus, which spread globally.
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