Delegates from a United States congressional advisory panel are undertaking their first mission to China in seven years to analyze how the economic and trade ties between the two nations impact national security.
The US-China Economic and Security Review Commission has sought consultations with Chinese government officials, academics, and industry experts in critical technological fields, including biotechnology, robotics, and artificial intelligence.
During this fact-finding mission, the commission also intends to meet with American corporations operating within China and various US diplomats.
“We are not traveling to reset the relationship. We are traveling to understand it,” stated Commission Chairman Randall Schriver on Sunday.
Established by Congress in 2000, the independent commission serves to advise lawmakers on the national security consequences stemming from the economic and trade relationship between the US and China.
The panel’s last visit to mainland China occurred in 2019, prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, during a period of significant trade tensions during the first Trump administration. The commission also visited Hong Kong in May of that year.
