US Senator Steve Daines Photo: VCG
Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu met with visiting US Republican Senator Steve Daines on Friday. The two sides held in-depth exchanges on China-US relations and issues of mutual concern, according to a press release from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
China welcomes US Senator Daines' visit, and also welcomes Americans from all walks of life, including members of the Congress, to visit China, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Friday, in response to a media inquiry on whether China expects Daines' visit to China to begin to lay the groundwork for a summit between the presidents of the US and China.
"China all along believes that the steady, sound and sustainable development of China-US relations serves the common interests of the two peoples and meets the expectation of the international community," Mao told a regular press briefing on Friday.
Daines, a Republican Senator from the US state of Montana, arrived in Beijing on Thursday, according to social media posts by both himself and the US Embassy in Beijing. The US Embassy said in the post that Daines was welcomed by Chargé d'Affaires Anny Vu.
On March 19, Daines posted a video clip of his interview with Fox News, in which he said that during his visit to China he would discuss issues related to fentanyl and the trade deficit.
In response to a separate question on Daines' desire to discuss fentanyl and the bilateral trading balance with Chinese officials, Mao said at the same press briefing that China all along believes that the two sides should solve each other's concerns through dialogue and consultation on the basis of equality and mutual respect.
As the first senior Republican senator to visit China since US President Donald Trump began his second presidential term, Daines is welcome to visit China to see the country firsthand, gain a better understanding and engage with people, said Diao Daming, a professor at the Renmin University of China in Beijing.
"Such visits and interactions are positive. It is hoped that such engagement would have a positive impact on stabilizing bilateral ties," Diao told the Global Times on Friday.
Diao noted that Daines has consistently shown a strong interest in China, both during his time as a corporate executive and in his political career, with a focus on trade and economic issues. Within the Republican Party, he is widely regarded as one of the more knowledgeable lawmakers in this area, he said.
In a report published on Friday, the Associated Press described Daines as "a strong supporter" of Trump and said that his visit comes as the US and China "swap tariff threats" and with the dispute over fentanyl continuing.
The report also mentioned that Daines previously worked as an executive for US companies in China and served as a go-between during Trump's first term in office, when tariffs were also a major issue. He is the first member of Congress to visit Beijing since Trump took office in January, according to the Associated Press.
Daines is visiting China in his capacity as a lawmaker, and the extent to which his visit might influence the US government's policy decisions remains to be seen, according to Diao.
China has consistently expressed a positive attitude toward engaging with Americans from all sectors of society, viewing such dialogue as a way to build momentum for broader exchanges. But whether the two sides can truly solve the problems that affect the relationship and effectively stabilize bilateral ties ultimately depends on US' actions, Diao said.
