President Donald Trump arrived in Beijing this week for a visit with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. As part of our regular In-House Opinions feature, we asked some Southern California members of the House of Representatives for their hopes and fears for the trip, thoughts about what Trump’s talks should and would accomplish in the areas of trade and international relations and about how Taiwan would be affected.
Their responses follow:
Rep. Mark Takano, D-Riverside: “I am deeply concerned that President Trump’s trip to China could undermine U.S. interests at a particularly fragile moment for American global leadership. This visit was already postponed once due to the president’s war of choice against Iran. I have low expectations that the president will gain anything from China. The administration’s failures in the Middle East have only emboldened China, ultimately undercutting our economy at home and leadership abroad. President Xi Jinping will likely leverage this moment to push for Trump to undercut our country’s long-standing support for Taiwan. I have personally visited this thriving democracy, and I am firmly opposed to any unilateral change to the U.S.’s long-held policy towards Taiwan. While I hope President Trump does not get outmaneuvered by Xi, he is entering negotiations with a weakened hand of his own creation.”
Rep. Young Kim, R-Anaheim Hills: “President Trump is engaging from a position of strength with China, unlike President Biden, who reigned by autopen and made concessions for minor advancements with our most consequential adversary. As chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific, I have been focused on reshoring critical supply chains, strengthening our technological edge and countering the CCP’s growing aggression. I am glad to see President Trump raise fentanyl as a key issue in these discussions, especially given the Chinese Communist Party’s role in the flow of illicit fentanyl precursors that are devastating American communities and fueling cartels who seek to bring chaos to our southern border. I hope President Trump also presses for the release of individuals unjustly detained by the CCP, and I am confident he will continue negotiating from a position of strength to secure the best possible deal for American workers and families.”
Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Torrance: “I hope the president has successful meetings in China. I want the president to secure agreements that will lower costs in America. Unfortunately, shortly before traveling to China, he said that he doesn’t ‘think about Americans’ financial situation.’ The reality is that we have surging inflation and skyrocketing gas prices. His tariffs have raised costs across many products. People are drowning in debt and in bills. I urge the president to think about Americans’ financial situation and focus on addressing the cost of living emergency in America.”
Rep. Derek Tran, D-Cypress: President Trump’s chaotic approach to diplomacy is a major concern at a time when his Iran war has weakened our national security and his reckless trade policies have devastated our economy. When asked if he was thinking about the financial burdens American families are facing because of the war in Iran, the president responded that he doesn’t ‘think about Americans’ financial situation.’ That’s very clear to the families in Southern California watching gas and grocery prices tick up every day. American global defense relies on a strong home front. President Trump risks slowing innovation at home, while the Chinese Communist Party is eager to fill the vacuum. I’m proud to lead two bills – the SBIR Foreign Interference Safeguard Act and the Combating Chinese Communist Party Influence Act – to mitigate the risks the CCP poses to our economy and national security. I hope that President Trump acts tactfully and in line with the priorities my legislation highlights to stabilize our trade relationships and keep our country safe. As the son of Vietnamese refugees who escaped communist repression in Vietnam, I also urge the president to use this opportunity to call out China’s systemic human rights abuses and media censorship. Maintaining our position as leaders of the free world carries the responsibility of defending human rights and democracy across the globe. Ignoring that responsibility would not only betray the values our nation stands for, but undermine American influence on the world stage.”
Rep. Dave Min, D-Irvine: “While I applaud the president for engaging in diplomacy with China, this visit does not change the fact that the president’s disastrous and reckless policies have severely weakened our economy, our standing with the rest of the world, and our national security. Whether it’s his tariffs, which have driven many of our economic allies to do more business with China, his alienation of longstanding allies through threatening Greenland and Canada and pulling back from NATO, his abandonment of renewable energy, which has conceded this critical industry of the future to China, or his epically stupid war in Iran, Trump has weakened America’s position and handed China huge wins across the board. If Trump was actually working on behalf of the Chinese, he could not do a better job of achieving their objectives. China will no doubt announce some big ‘deals’ without intending to ever follow through on those, knowing that Trump’s ego is easily stroked while his attention span is too short to ever actually follow up. Meanwhile, China is more and more of a menace to our allies, especially Taiwan.”