U.S.-China Talks 'Talking Past Each Other,' Lawmakers Say During Beijing Visit

BEIJING — A U.S. lawmaker leading a bipartisan congressional delegation to Beijing on Tuesday said Washington and Beijing are talking past each other on a range of key issues. Rep. Adam Smith, a Democrat from Washington and the chair of the House Armed Services Committee, led the first House delegation to China since 2019. The trip comes as tensions have risen over trade and technology policy and as lawmakers press Beijing on its stance toward regional conflicts. The delegation said its aim is to expand dialogue and reduce misunderstandings, with Smith saying the effort is about starting a process of clarifying each side's positions.

Smith outlined several priorities, including actions to curb the inflow of fentanyl into the United States and concerns about China's restrictions on the global supply of rare earths used in high tech manufacturing. The lawmakers cited a readout from the House Armed Services Committee on Monday that outlined the delegation’s concerns, and Smith repeatedly stressed that engagement should be practical and constructive. He stressed that there is a need to begin a process in which both sides articulate where they stand and where the other side stands.

Military risk and what can be done through dialogue are also central to the visit. Smith told reporters that Chinese and American ships and aircraft have come dangerously close in recent years, noting that both sides’ forces have operated in proximity in ways that raise the risk of miscalculation. He compared the situation to Cold War-era engagement, saying that regular conversations and even treaties helped manage risk with rivals in the past, and urged Beijing to adopt a similar framework to reduce danger. He cited the broader point that sustained dialogue can yield concrete steps toward stabilizing bilateral relations.

The delegation’s schedule underscores the mixed tempo of U.S.–China engagement. The lawmakers met with Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun and separately with Vice Premier He Lifeng on Monday after holding talks with Premier Li Qiang on Sunday. The group includes Rep. Michael Baumgartner, a Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, as well as Ro Khanna and Chrissy Houlahan, both Democrats on the House Armed Services Committee. They are in China through Thursday, seeking to establish channels for ongoing dialogue even as substantive disagreements persist.

Context matters in assessing the visit. The United States and Chinese militaries suspended communications for more than a year starting in August 2022 after then–Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan. Military dialogue was restored in November 2023 after a rare meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and then–U.S. President Joe Biden, though officials have not publicly detailed how regularly the two militaries have spoken since.

The lawmakers stressed that engagement should be about achieving tangible steps. Smith said the trip is intended to push Beijing toward practical actions and broader talks, with the aim of building sustained channels that can help avert miscalculations on sensitive issues.

Trump has said he would meet Xi at a regional summit in South Korea in late October and visit China in the early part of next year, following a lengthy phone call between the two on Friday, though a high‑level meeting has not been scheduled yet. The delegation is set to remain in China through Thursday.