US senators arrive in Shanghai for China visit

By Emre Aytekin

BEIJING (AA) - A US bipartisan delegation led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer arrived Saturday in Shanghai for a trip that will start a series of meetings.

The group of six senators, including Republicans Mike Crapo, Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy; and Democrats Maggie Hassan and Jon Ossoff, marked the first visit of US congressmen to China since 2019.

The visit comes at a time when tensions created by geopolitical and economic competition in US-China relations are increasing.

Schumer said in a meeting with Chen Jining, Shanghai's Communist Party Secretary, that the US does not seek conflict with China, but expects fair treatment for American companies.

He said many constituents feel that in many instances China does not treat American companies fairly, and the need for "reciprocity, allowing American companies to compete as freely in China as Chinese companies are able to compete here."

The delegation will also visit Japan and South Korea to "focus on the issues of economic competition and security, American national security, and global leadership in advanced technology."