On Thursday, NBC News reported that a group of bipartisan legislators wanted to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping as part of their diplomatic visit to China in an attempt to bolster U.S. China relations, but not looking good.
An official delegations will be sent to China to meet with Chinese officials to discuss face to face ongoing trade deals, economic issues, national security concerns and the major surge of the deadly fentanyl drug into the United States. It has yet to be confirmed whether or not the group of lawmakers will be able to meet with the President of China, but maybe they can set the stage for President Xi to meet with President Biden.
According tot Republican Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo, “I don’t think that that’s clear yet whether it will happen. We want to meet with a number of the officials there as well as the American business community there as well, and we would like to meet with President Xi.”
The Senators attending the meetings are Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Republican Louisiana Sens. Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy, Democratic New Hampshire Sen. Maggie Hassan and Democratic Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff. The Senators will then travel to South Korea and Japan as part of the 10-day trip later in October.
Senator Kennedy said in an interview, “The main reason I’m going on this trip, aside from the fact that Sen. Schumer asked me, is because I want to meet with President Xi. If you meet with anyone else, it would be an overstatement to say it’s a waste of time, but it’s certainly a less prudent use of your time because President Xi has all the power — he’s the most powerful person in the country since Mao.”
The Biden administration has pleaded with China to reengage on many diplomatic issues but China has been very cold towards American efforts as it ramps up military exercises and at times seems to be at odds with the American economy. In November, President Xi will be attending a meeting for the Asia-Pacific leaders where President Biden may attend in a “Hail Mary” effort to improve the relationship between both countries.
Kennedy bluntly put it, “I don’t think President Xi has agreed to meet with us because of our winning personalities. I think it has something to do with testing the waters and preparation for his meeting with President Biden in November.”
