US lawmakers press for military dialogue in rare China visit

BANGKOK — A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers pressed for more military-to-military dialogue in a meeting Sunday with China's Premier Li Qiang, in a rare congressional visit to Beijing as U.S.-China relations have cooled in recent years.

The delegation, led by Rep. Adam Smith, a Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, also included Republican Michael Baumgartner of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Democrats Ro Khanna and Chrissy Houlahan, both on the Armed Services panel. The lawmakers are in China through Thursday, seeking greater dialogue on security matters alongside discussions on trade and broader economic ties. The last trip by a group of senators to China was in 2023, and Sunday’s delegation marked the first visit by a House delegation since 2019.

Li Qiang welcomed the delegates and described the visit as an ice-breaking trip that will further the ties between the two countries. The premier characterized the engagement as a stepping stone toward more exchanges and cooperation that could have global significance.

Smith said both sides were in agreement on the overarching aim of the visit. He said, "Certainly, trade and economy is on the top of the list ... but we’re very focused on our military-to-military conversations," and added, "As a member of the Armed Services Committee, I’m deeply concerned that our two militaries don’t communicate more." The remarks underscored the delegation’s emphasis on building direct military channels to reduce the risk of miscalculation and to improve crisis management.

The lawmakers are in China through Thursday as part of a broader effort to restore more regular dialogue after years of frictions over issues including Taiwan, cyber and regional security dynamics. The delegation comes amid a downturn in U.S.-China relations that has been driven by trade tensions, Beijing’s stance on Taiwan, its backing of Russia in the war in Ukraine, and competing claims in the South China Sea.

"China and the U.S. 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." The remarks underscored a shared desire to pursue a more stable, predictable interaction even as substantive disagreements persist.

The trip follows a pattern of high-level contacts that lawmakers hope can yield more regular channels for crisis management and crisis prevention, a topic that has gained renewed urgency as both countries compete economically and militarily. President Donald Trump has signaled plans to meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping at a regional summit at the end of October in South Korea and to visit China in the early part of next year, following a lengthy phone call between the two leaders on Friday.