Last Sunday, Republican U.S. Senator Steve Daines, a staunch supporter of President Trump, traveled to Beijing to meet with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, accompanied by representatives from several major U.S. companies.
In an interview with NonStop Local, a Northwest television network, on Thursday, Daines stated that he directly discussed tariffs and drug issues with Chinese senior officials during their talks. He emphasized that Beijing should actively prevent the flow of fentanyl precursor chemicals into the United States, noting that this issue is closely related to the US tariffs imposed on China. He also noted that US-China trade frictions frequently impact US agriculture and livestock, with China periodically suspending US beef imports. He expressed concern during the meeting about the upcoming expiration of US beef export licenses.
In contrast, China's official Xinhua News Agency's report on the meeting made no mention of any discussion of fentanyl, but the overall language was more moderate and conservative than previous "Wolf Warrior" statements. The report noted that Li Qiang emphasized that both countries should adhere to the consensus reached during a January call between Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Trump, focusing on common interests and areas for cooperation, and choosing dialogue over confrontation. Li Qiang also stated that Beijing would actively respond to the reasonable demands of foreign companies, treating domestic and foreign enterprises equally and continuously fostering a favorable business environment.
The main purpose of Diane's trip is to lead a delegation of American businesses to the 2025 China Development Forum. As previously reported by CNN, the core themes of this year's forum are stabilizing foreign investment and attracting a new round of investment. The goal is to achieve the economic growth target of "around 5%" set during the "Two Sessions" (National People's Congress and Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference) amid the dual pressures of slowing economic growth and the escalating US-China tariff war.
