Chinese Leader Xi Jinping Meets Bipartisan U.S. Senators in Beijing
In a historic exchange, Chinese leader Xi Jinping welcomed a bipartisan delegation of U.S. senators in Beijing on October 9. This meeting marks the first engagement between American lawmakers and the communist regime in nearly a decade, signaling China’s desire to collaborate with Washington amidst a struggling economy.
The delegation, led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), is currently on a trip to Asia, with stops in Japan and South Korea.
During the meeting, Schumer urged Xi to show support for Israel, expressing disappointment with China’s lack of sympathy towards the Jewish state during the recent Hamas attacks. While China issued a statement calling for an end to hostilities, it notably did not mention Hamas.
“The ongoing events in Israel over the last few days are nothing short of horrific. I urge you and the Chinese people to stand with the Israeli people and condemn the cowardly and vicious attacks,” Schumer passionately stated.
Since the Hamas attack began on October 7, China has faced scrutiny for its ties to the terrorist group.
Gordon Chang, author of “The Coming Collapse of China,” took to Twitter to assert that “#Hamas is #Iran’s proxy, and #Iran is #China’s proxy. We need to hold China responsible for the attacks its proxies are carrying out on #Israel.”
Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) also voiced his concerns on Twitter, stating, “The (Iranian) regime arming Hamas is the same one arming war criminal Putin. The CCP helps both. This is the rule of gun posse.”
In response to Schumer’s comments, China’s foreign ministry spokeswoman, Mao Ning, updated the country’s statement on the Israel-Hamas conflict, expressing sadness over civilian casualties and condemning acts against civilians. Schumer expressed his gratitude for China’s revised response.
During a press conference, Schumer stated, “I’m gratified the Foreign Ministry issued a new statement that did condemn the loss of civilian life.” The meeting between Xi and the U.S. senators took place at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, where Xi had previously hosted U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in June.
As tensions rise, President Joe Biden’s administration is working to mend relations with China and avoid further conflict. This year alone, Biden has sent four cabinet officials to Beijing.
In September, Blinken held talks with Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng, and Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, met with China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, in Malta. These discussions were seen as laying the groundwork for a potential meeting between Biden and Xi at the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in San Francisco.
During the meeting, Xi emphasized the importance of improving China-U.S. relations, stating that there are “1,000 reasons to improve China-U.S. relations and not a single reason to ruin them.” However, it remains uncertain whether Xi would be willing to travel to the United States.
U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) (L) is greeted by Chinese leader Xi Jinping before their bilateral meeting in Beijing on Oct. 9, 2023. (Andy Wong/AFP via Getty Images)
Xi notably skipped this year’s Group of 20 summit in New Delhi, a departure from his previous attendance since taking office in 2012. The reasons for his absence remain undisclosed. Additionally, Xi has made unexpected changes to top leadership positions in recent months, adding to the uncertainty surrounding China’s decision-making process.
During their visit, the senators also met with China’s foreign minister, Wang, and top legislator, Zhao Leji. Schumer raised concerns about the treatment of American companies in China, emphasizing the need for a level playing field in economic competition.
China’s struggling economy has prompted the regime to seek increased U.S. investment. However, with a slowdown in the economy and regulatory crackdowns on foreign consulting firms, U.S. investors have been withdrawing from the Chinese market.
Yen Huai-Shing, a research fellow at the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research, stated, “Only by making everyone feel that the U.S.-China tensions are easing can China calm the foreign investors who are shifting money out of the country. China wants to ‘stop the bleeding.'”
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer Chuck Schumer (C) speaks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (not pictured) at the Diaoyutai Guest House in Beijing on Oct. 9, 2023. (Andy Wong/AFP via Getty Images)
The senators’ trip coincides with the upcoming election for the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). Rights groups are urging member states not to support nations with poor human rights records, including China. China, Russia, and Cuba are seeking reelection to the UNHRC, despite their track records of human rights violations.
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) provided Schumer with a list of issues to address during the meetings, including China’s espionage operations against the United States, its spy base in Cuba, and secret police stations in U.S. cities. Scott also emphasized the need to demand answers regarding China’s cover-up of the COVID-19 pandemic and its trade manipulations.
Despite the challenges, Schumer remains hopeful for progress in U.S.-China relations. The senators will continue their trip with a visit to Xi’an, the capital of Shaanxi Province in western China.
Luo Ya and Reuters contributed to this report.
How does the meeting between Xi and the U.S. senators reflect President Joe Biden’s efforts to mend relations with China and avoid further conflict
My and its desire for collaboration with the United States were key topics during the meeting between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and a bipartisan delegation of U.S. senators in Beijing on October 9. The historic exchange marks the first engagement between American lawmakers and the Chinese Communist regime in nearly a decade, highlighting China’s intention to work together with Washington amidst economic challenges.
Led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), the delegation is currently on a trip to Asia, with previous stops in Japan and South Korea. During the meeting, Schumer urged Xi to show support for Israel and expressed disappointment with China’s lack of sympathy towards the Jewish state during the recent Hamas attacks. While China issued a statement calling for an end to hostilities, it notably did not mention Hamas, which drew criticism from Schumer and other politicians.
Since the beginning of the Hamas attack on October 7, China has faced scrutiny for its ties to the terrorist group. Gordon Chang, author of “The Coming Collapse of China,” took to Twitter to assert that Hamas is Iran’s proxy, and Iran is China’s proxy. He called for China to be held responsible for the attacks carried out by its proxies on Israel. Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) also expressed concerns on Twitter, highlighting the Iranian regime’s arming of Hamas and its collaboration with war criminal Putin, both of which are partially facilitated by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
As a response to Schumer’s comments, China’s foreign ministry spokeswoman, Mao Ning, updated the country’s statement on the Israel-Hamas conflict. She expressed sadness over civilian casualties and condemned acts against civilians. Schumer expressed gratitude for China’s revised response, and during a press conference, he stated, “I’m gratified the Foreign Ministry issued a new statement that did condemn the loss of civilian life.”
The meeting between Xi and the U.S. senators took place at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. This location holds significance as Xi had previously hosted U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken there in June. These interactions between Chinese and American officials reflect the efforts of President Joe Biden’s administration to mend relations with China and avoid further conflict. Since taking office, Biden has already sent four cabinet officials to Beijing to discuss various issues.
In September, Blinken held talks with Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng, and Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, met with China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, in Malta. These discussions were seen as laying the groundwork for a potential meeting between Biden and Xi at the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in San Francisco. During the meeting with the U.S. senators, Xi emphasized the importance of improving China-U.S. relations, stating that there are “1,000 reasons to improve China-U.S. relations and not a single reason
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