Li Qiang expressed hope that the U.S. Congress will “properly address relations with China,” foster exchanges and cooperation, and help promote “bilateral friendship and mutual development,” according to a statement from the State Council.
The U.S. delegation is led by Adam Smith, the principal Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee. Details of Smith’s comments during the meeting were not disclosed by Chinese authorities.
The Prime Minister emphasized that China and the U.S. are “two powers with significant global influence” and maintaining a stable and sustainable relationship serves “the common interests of both parties” and meets “the expectations of the international community.”
Li reiterated that Beijing is willing to work with Washington on the basis of “mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and mutually beneficial cooperation,” expressing confidence that the U.S. will contribute to “putting bilateral ties back on track.”
The visit by the congressmen comes two days after a phone conversation between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump, during which they discussed trade disputes and expressed satisfaction with the framework established to allow TikTok to continue operating in the United States.
Chinese official media welcomed the phone call between the two leaders. In an editorial, the official newspaper Global Times stated that bilateral relations “have been gradually stabilizing” and that the contact between Trump and Xi “sent an important signal to the international community.”
