US Senators Meet With China's Leader Xi Jinping

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Facts

  • A US Senate bipartisan delegation led by Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) met on Monday with the Chinese Pres. Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, the state-run broadcaster CCTV reported, in a meeting that lasted about 80 minutes.1
  • Schumer expressed his disappointment that the PRC had shown 'no sympathy' for Israel following attacks by Hamas that killed hundreds of Israelis over the weekend, as Beijing only called for a two-state solution to end the violence. Chinese state media, however, avoided the topic.2
  • For his part, Xi focused on the China-US bilateral relationship, arguing that the way that they get along will impact the future of humanity. He urged both sides to cooperate and peacefully coexist to address global challenges, including climate change as well as international and regional hotspots.3
  • The visiting delegation arrived in Shanghai on Saturday, marking the first congressional trip to the country since 2019, and this meeting indicates that Xi Jinping may attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in San Francisco next month.4
  • Earlier on Monday, China's top diplomat Wang Yi told the group at Beijing's Diaoyutai State Guesthouse that he hoped that the PRC and the US could 'rationally' manage their differences while Schumer raised concerns over competition for American business and workers.5
  • On the first leg of the visit, Schumer reportedly accused Chinese companies of 'fueling' the US fentanyl drug crisis in a meeting with Chen Jining, the top official of the ruling Chinese Communist Party in Shanghai. Other stops on the US delegation's trip include South Korea and Japan.6

Sources: 1NBC, 2Reuters, 3Chinadaily.com.cn, 4South china morning post, 5Cna and 6France 24.

Narratives

  • Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by New York Times. With the China trip by US lawmakers led by Senate Majority Leader Schumer, Washington is again showing its commitment to restoring US-China ties. Now, it's up to China to build on that momentum and rethink its unfair treatment of US companies. Moreover, the PRC's devastating fentanyl exports would be a unique opportunity for Beijing to likewise show its willingness to improve relations at a little political or economic cost.
  • Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Global times. While Schumer criticizes China's alleged unfair economic practices, he fails to mention that the US has added 42 Chinese companies to its export control list. On fentanyl, Beijing has already taken several measures, and by smearing China, Washington is evading its own responsibility for the drug epidemic at home. The PRC welcomes any improvement in bilateral relations, but any overtures from the US must be based on sincerity.

Predictions