The head of a US congressional delegation visiting China today (25 September) said significant efforts are needed to resolve ongoing trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies, which he said are creating challenges for businesses on both sides of the Pacific.

Rep. Adam Smith, a Democrat from Washington state, said his key observation from the five-day trip was that substantial business activity continues between the US and China despite the trade war.

“We have a lot of work to do to resolve these issues, but China, the US, and the world can benefit from resolving some of our differences and working better together,” Smith told reporters after a meeting with the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai.

The delegation — Smith, fellow Democrats, Reps. Ro Khanna and Chrissy Houlahan, and Republican Rep. Michael Baumgartner were later seen having coffee in a Shanghai office building lobby following their Chamber meeting.

Smith, a member of the House Armed Services Committee along with the other Democrats, reiterated the need for enhanced communication between the US and Chinese militaries. “Two of the largest nuclear powers in the world need to be talking to each other, particularly because we do have some disagreements,” he said.

The lawmakers arrived in Shanghai yesterday after three days of meetings with top Chinese officials in Beijing, including Premier Li Qiang, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, and Defence Minister Dong Jun. Smith said the main goal of the trip was to reopen channels of communication between the two governments.

This was the first visit by a US House delegation to China since 2019, following a Senate delegation visit in 2023.

US President Donald Trump has recently indicated plans to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at a regional summit in South Korea in late October, followed by a visit to China early next year. Beijing has not officially confirmed the meetings.