China concerns US lawmakers, but few visit due to negative perceptions.

Amidst a decline in congressional staff trips to China, only about a dozen have visited the mainland since January 2023. The lower-profile staff travel offers a more granular engagement, unlike the higher-profile trips made by lawmakers. Organisations like the American Foreign Policy Council stress the importance of these visits for deeper understanding and informed decision-making.

However, the decrease in visits to China can be attributed, at least in part, to Beijing’s actions, including sanctioning several US lawmakers. In contrast, travel to Taiwan has seen an increase, with members and staff visiting the island. The adversarial tone of China-related legislation pending in Washington is evident due to the lack of recent visits to China.

Despite the hurdles, organisations like the National Committee on US-China Relations have facilitated congressional staff delegations to China, providing valuable insights. Moving forward, maintaining such trips remains challenging, especially in the current political climate, but essential for fostering strategic empathy and preventing miscalculations in Sino-American relations.