US President Donald Trump’s close ally, Senator Steve Daines, will lead a bipartisan delegation to China next week, according to sources, even as Washington steps up pressure on Beijing over trade, technological competition, and its ties to Iran, ahead of a closely watched leaders’ summit on May 14-15.
According to people familiar who requested anonymity, the five-member delegation led by Daines, a Republican from Montana, will begin its visit on May 1, with stops in Shanghai and Beijing.
The trip has been in the works since last year and was originally scheduled for late March. Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping had originally planned to meet around the same time, but their summit was rescheduled to mid-May due to the Iran war.
While the full composition of the delegation has not been disclosed, one source said that several members are expected to be visiting the mainland for the first time.
Daines’s office did not respond to a request for comment.
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Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets US Senator Daines: calls for frankness, deeper trust
Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets US Senator Daines: calls for frankness, deeper trust
Last month, Daines, a senior member of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, said at a public event that the trip will focus on China’s infrastructure and “innovation ecosystem” and will include a ride on China’s high-speed rail network.
