Chinese head of state Xi Jinping receives American delegation in Beijing Assassination of presidential candidate in Ecuador: several suspects die in custody

Chinese state and party leader Xi Jinping received a delegation of US senators in Beijing. Chinese state media reported this on Monday. What would be discussed during the meeting was initially unknown.

The high-level reception for the delegation led by US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer could be seen as a further signal of efforts to bring the US and China closer together.

On Monday morning, American politicians spoke with China’s chief diplomat Wang Yi. “I hope this visit will help the United States see China in a more appropriate and objective light,” Wang Yi said, appearing on Chinese television channel Phoenix TV. The report also showed an excerpt of Schumer’s statements: “America wants stability and fairness, the United States does not want to decouple,” he said. But China must also create a level playing field for American companies and workers, Schumer said.

Before the trip to China, the U.S. sides said the group wanted to meet with government and business representatives. According to media reports, the delegation also hoped to meet Xi.

The relationship between the world’s largest and second largest economies is poor due to sanctions, economic and geopolitical disputes and accusations of espionage, among other things. Observers are therefore looking forward to a possible meeting between Xi and US President Joe Biden at the Asia-Pacific summit in San Francisco in November. It is still unclear whether Xi will travel. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing did not provide any information about this when asked on Monday. (sda/dpa)