The US resumes dialogue with China, topics include trade, Taiwan, and TikTok

On Sunday, a delegation of US lawmakers traveled to China, the first since 2019. This is an attempt to resume dialogue between the world's two largest economies, which have been strained in recent years by disputes over trade, technology, TikTok, and the Taiwan issue.

The delegation is led by Democrat Adam Smith, former chairman and now leading opposition member of the House Armed Services Committee. In Beijing, the US congressmen met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang.

Smith emphasized before the trip that the dialogue itself did not mean agreement with Beijing's policies. “China is a big and powerful country, just like the US. We need to talk to each other,” he said.

The visit follows a phone call on Friday between Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, who are trying to find a way out of the tense relations. At the same time, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth held initial talks with his Chinese counterpart and emphasized that Washington does not want conflict but will protect its interests in Asia.

(reuters, sab)