Source: Global Times

After the first call, the U.S. Congressman's delegation Smith arrived in China on 21 December for a visit. This is the first visit of the U.S. House delegation to China since 2019, and analysis is generally believed that this means that the U.S. has made great progress in stabilizing bilateral relations. In recent years, the U.S. has conducted high-level calls or talks in the fields of military, diplomacy and trade, and the visit of the Congressman's delegation further shows that under the strategic guidance of the Chief Foreign Minister, the outside world has higher expectations for China to further strengthen strategic communication and inject more certainty into the world.

Delegation of U.S. Congressional Representatives Smith arrived in China on 21st (data map)

International public opinion almost invariably used the word "rare" to describe this visit. Although this is due to the general obstruction of Sino-US exchanges caused by many factors in recent years, it more reflects the international community's general perception of the "anti-China base camp" of the US Congress. As far as China policy is concerned, Congress and its subordinate agencies have played an increasingly negative and negative role in recent years: they continue to create friction through Taiwan-related, Hong Kong-related, Xinjiang-related and other issues, and use legislation to solidify competition with China into an institutional framework; At the same time, use the budget and supervision power to restrict and pressure the administrative department to take more restrictive measures against China. Its practice not only strengthens geopolitical conflicts, but also exacerbates ordinary people's misunderstanding of China. This objective reality just shows the necessity and urgency for U.S. congressmen to strengthen communication and exchanges with China.

Smith visited China at this time, and delivered three signals to the outside world.The first is that the delegation under the negotiations of the two sides was able to work out, is one of the elements of the overall atmosphere of China-US communication and exchanges improvement, highlighting the irreplaceable leading role of the Chief Diplomat in China-US relations; the second is to show that the Congress with China direct contact, dialogue and exchanges is not an unimaginable thing, the constantly emerging anti-Chinese proposals can not cover up a part of the congressmen hope to strengthen exchanges with China; the third is that this visit may also be a windmark, to promote more congressmen to China in the future, as Smith said, "the visit of the US House of Representatives should not be a six-seven-year

The U.S. Congress has not played a constructive role in China-U.S. relations. In January 1979, just days after the establishment of China-U.S. relations, the U.S. Senator Sam Nunn led the U.S. Senate inter-party delegation to visit China. At the end of the visit, Nunn and other lawmakers actively promoted China-friendly legislation and supported China's exchanges in the fields of economy, technology, culture and other fields. For decades, the far-reaching "Sino-U.S. Technology Cooperation Agreement" has been partly benefited from the push of this visit.

Over the years, many U.S. lawmakers have been deeply dependent on media narratives and single channels to understand China and are prone to prejudice. By seeing the real face of Chinese society in their own eyes, they are able to gain a more objective, stereotypical and comprehensive perception of China. Though this cognitive revision is difficult to immediately translate into a policy shift, it can deepen the political usefulness of extremist speech, making Congress gradually realize that in the face of a country such as China, which is huge and highly intertwined with its own interests, conflict legislation alone cannot provide an effective solution. In the delegation there are long-term lawmakers responsible for military affairs, and in the sensitive context of the situation in the Taiwan Sea and the South China Sea, even limited exchanges can play a

Flag of China and the United States (data map)

This visit opened a new window for China-U.S. relations, but in order to keep this window open and wider, the two sides still need to move towards each other and work together. In the face of the visit of the delegation, China showed an open, confident and constructive gesture. This is both the strength of the great diplomacy, but also China's insistence to resolve contradictions through dialogue. Smith's side also expressed the desire to promote China-U.S. dialogue in economic, military and other fields. It should be noted in particular that some U.S. congressmen and interest groups for political and private interests have continuously manipulated anti-China issues, especially in the Taiwan issue, and the destructiveness of individual bad events to China-U.S. relations has been especially highlighted. For example, Congress

China and the United States are the two most important economies in the world, and also have a major influence, strengthening exchanges and cooperation is not only beneficial to the two countries, but is also closely related to the prosperity and peace of the world. As President Xi Jinping said, China and the United States can fully each other, prosper together, benefit the two countries, benefit the world. Hopefully Smith's visit to China will be a good start, pushing more American people from all walks of life to come to China, see and see, break the wrong perception and stereotype of China, and play a constructive role for the friendship and common development of the two countries.

Extended reading

A U.S. lawmaker rarely visits China, saying "you can't come once in six or seven years"

After the first call, a U.S. inter-party delegation officially visited China on September 21 and talked with the Chinese side.This was the first visit of a U.S. House delegation to China since 2019.Analysis generally believes that this is a major progress made by the U.S. in stabilizing bilateral relations.

Reuters noted that this cross-party visit followed a phone call between the heads of state of China and the United States on the 19th. Both sides sought to get rid of tensions exacerbated by trade frictions, U.S. restrictions on semiconductor chips in China, TikTok, the South China Sea and Taiwan.

Adam Smith, Democratic Leader of the House of Representatives Military Committee

The delegation was led by Rep. Adam Smith of Washington, the top Democrat on the U.S. House Armed Services Committee. Members also include Michael Baumgartner, a Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Ro Khanna and Clichy Houlahan, Democrats on the House Armed Services Committee. These members will stay in China until Thursday (25th).

During a meeting with the Chinese side, the delegation reportedly said that as the two superpowers, China and the United States, make further progress in stabilizing relations, the world's two largest economies need to strengthen engagement and "break the deadlock",

Smith said: "We all acknowledge that both China and the United States have work to do to strengthen this relationship. The U.S. House of Representatives should not come only once after six or seven years. We need more such exchanges, and we hope, as you said, this time we can break the deadlock and make this exchange more frequent."

According to the American Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), Smith also said in his speech that economy and trade are the primary topics of this meeting, and the United States is also very concerned about the military dialogue between the two countries. "As a member of the Armed Services Commission, I am deeply concerned about the lack of more exchanges between our militaries."

He added: "China and the United States are the two most powerful and influential countries in the world, and it's really important that we get along well and find ways to coexist peacefully in the world. I really welcome your remarks about wanting to build and strengthen this relationship."

On the afternoon of September 21, State Council Prime Minister Li Jing met with the delegation of U.S. Congressional representatives who visited China at the People's Hall in Beijing.

Li Jinping said that China and the United States are all major countries with important influence in the world, China and the United States relations remain stable, healthy and sustainable, in line with the common interests of the two countries and the expectations of the international community. Since this year, President Xi Jinping has spoken to President Trump several times, agreeing that China and the United States should strengthen dialogue and cooperation, and make strategic guidance for the development of the next stage of China and the United States relations. China is willing to respect each other, peaceful coexistence with the United States, and win-win cooperation.

Li Qiang pointed out that China and the United States should be partners for hand-in-hand development, treat each other sincerely, empower each other, and achieve each other. China is willing to work with the United States to resolve their respective concerns through communication in the spirit of equality, respect and reciprocity. It is hoped that the U.S. Congress will correctly view China and Sino-U.S. relations, actively promote exchanges and cooperation between the two countries, and play a constructive role in the friendship and common development between the two countries.

U.S. ambassador to China, Pond Wei, social media account posted photos of reception of U.S. delegation

Smith on September 9 that a two-party delegation from the House of Representatives would make an official visit to China later this month.

Bloomberg said that the cross-party delegation was first received by U.S. Ambassador to China Pound Dewei before the meeting with China on the 21st.

Pondwey wrote on social media platform X: ¡°This is the first visit of the House of Representatives to China since 2019.This inter-party team plays a crucial role in managing U.S.-China relations.¡±

Singapore's United Morning Post described the move as indicating that China and the United States are intensifying contacts in order to strive to stabilize bilateral relations.

Representatives from the U.S. House of Representatives have not visited China since March 2019.

At that time, Congressman Rick Larsen of *, Washington, then co-chairman of the "U.S.-China Working Group" of the House of Representatives, led a team of * and Republican members of the U.S. Congress to visit Beijing and Hangzhou and other places to communicate with senior Chinese officials and Chinese and American entrepreneurs.

However, National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) noted that unlike the visit sponsored by the U.S.-China National Relations Committee, the official congressional delegation led by Smith was funded by the federal government.