Ahead of Trump Visit, US Senator Carries ‘De-escalation’ Message to Beijing; Wang Yi Responds — Need for Respectful Coexistence

Beijing — China’s top diplomat Wang Yi met with a bipartisan US delegation led by Republican Senator Steve Daines of Montana on Thursday. The meeting, taking place just a week before US President Donald Trump’s proposed visit to China, is expected to lend new momentum to relations between the two major powers.

At the meeting held in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Senator Daines made his stance on stability and mutual respect clear. “We want de-escalation, not decoupling. We want stability and mutual respect,” Daines stated at the very outset of the meeting.

Earlier, on April 30, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a telephone conversation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, while on the same day, Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng held a video call with the US Treasury Secretary and Trade Representative. In continuity with these high-level dialogues, the five-member delegation led by Daines arrived in China on May 1.

Setting the Stage on the Eve of Trump’s Visit

President Trump is scheduled to visit Beijing on May 14 and 15. Against this backdrop, Daines’ visit is being viewed as a “pre-visit window.” According to Chinese experts, the visit aimed to create a favorable atmosphere for high-level talks.

Daines, who has served as a US Senator since 2015 and chaired the National Republican Senatorial Committee from 2023 to 2025, has already announced he will not seek re-election — a factor analysts say afforded him greater political latitude during this visit.

From Commercial Interests to Boeing Purchases

The delegation travelled by China’s high-speed railway from Shanghai to Beijing to observe the country’s infrastructure development and innovation systems. During the meeting, Senator Daines also expressed hope that the Trump-Xi meeting could yield a Boeing aircraft purchase agreement. “It has been about nine years since Boeing aircraft were last purchased here,” he noted.

Experts observed that the inclusion of Democratic lawmakers in the delegation signals a shared interest across both US parties in enhancing dialogue with China. Both sides are also reported to have discussed regional and international issues during the meeting with Wang Yi.