Select Committee Democrats Outline Priorities Ahead of Trump–Xi Meeting in Beijing
WASHINGTON – President Trump is set to meet with General Secretary Xi Jinping in Beijing May 14-15. The Trump Administration has conducted no formal public consultation on a potential U.S.-People’s Republic of China (PRC) deal, nor has it consulted with Congress. The Administration has made no public statements on what they’re seeking from the PRC or what President Trump is willing to give up during these talks.
Congressman Ro Khanna, Ranking Member of the Select Committee, joined fellow Democratic members in reaffirming Congress’s oversight role and urging the Administration to pursue a strategy that protects U.S. national security, puts American’s workers first, and advocates for human rights and democratic values.
Ranking Member Ro Khanna (CA-17)
“When President Trump meets Xi Jinping in Beijing this week, he must put America's workers and families first. His failed China policy has yet to confront China’s illegal dumping of goods into the U.S. market and other unfair nonmarket practices that are killing U.S. manufacturing jobs,” said Ranking Member Khanna.
“Last week, I heard directly from American workers, farmers, manufacturers in America’s heartland who are facing higher costs of doing business, an uneven playing field, and an uncertain future due to the Administration’s inability to stand up to China. We need a new economic patriotism agenda that includes an industrial development bank, 1,000 trade schools, new tech institutes, investment in care jobs, and workers sharing in profits,” he emphasized.
“Trump must also address China’s genocide against the Uyghurs and other human rights abuses, demand the release of Americans unjustly detained and blocked from leaving China, and stop the flow of fentanyl and fentanyl precursors to the U.S.
“Finally, the security and will of Taiwan’s people must under no circumstance be used as a bargaining chip. Any suggestion that America’s commitment to cross-Strait peace and stability could be traded away welcomes aggression and risks conflict that Americans resoundingly want to prevent. Americans deserve concrete results – not another ‘art of the squeal,’ empty bargain that sacrifices our working families, values, and global friends,” he added.
Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08):
Amid the ongoing unauthorized war in Iran, Mr. Krishnamoorthi believes there is considerable risk surrounding President Trump’s upcoming meeting with President Xi Jinping unless President Trump is able to clearly articulate U.S. interests and red lines.
Walking into this second meeting with Xi, President Trump must continue to bear in mind: the PRC is an economic adversary and will do anything to win the strategic competition with the United States.
Mr. Krishnamoorthi believes President Trump should seek to level the playing field for U.S. industry and workers by pushing Xi to commit to concrete steps to crack down on dumping, circumvention, state subsidies, forced labor, and intellectual property theft.
President Trump should also address critical minerals and push the PRC to restore fair market access for American agricultural exports, including Illinois soybeans and corn.
Mr. Krishnamoorthi believes that the U.S. should make no changes to our policy regarding Taiwan, in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act and Six Assurances.
In addition, President Trump must not trade away export controls designed to safeguard U.S. national security by slowing the People’s Liberation Army’s military modernization, preventing human rights abuses, and helping ensure America wins the AI competition.
Mr. Krishnamoorthi also believes that we should be wary of any negotiations that personally enrich President Trump or his family. President Trump should be calling for the release of political prisoners, detained Americans, and family members of Americans — not pursuing corrupt deals that further line his own pockets.
Rep. Kathy Castor (FL-14):
Congresswoman Castor believes the upcoming meeting between President Trump and Xi Jinping is a critical moment and urges the President to advance U.S. interests without further undermining U.S. economic security, human rights, or Indo-Pacific security.
Castor urges the President to learn more about China’s significant investments in clean energy technologies, both for domestic deployment and export, which are accelerating amid a historic oil supply shock and can lower electric bills during surging demand. The President should work to secure sustainable access to rare earths and rare earth magnets essential to the U.S. defense industrial base, clean energy, and advanced manufacturing, while continuing to derisk from Chinese supply chains. She also calls on the President to press China to adopt more ambitious emissions reductions and address its role as a leading source of global climate pollution.
Finally, the President should make clear that the United States will not overlook China’s human rights abuses, particularly against Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang, while continuing to welcome Chinese students pursuing legitimate study in the United States.
“President Trump has an opportunity here to advance U.S. interests in our strategic competition with China,” the Congresswoman said. “We need to get back on track, focusing on policies that put America ahead, clean up our environment, and restabilize the American economy.”
Rep. André Carson (IN-07)
Ahead of President Trump’s meeting with Xi Jinping, Congressman André Carson (D-IN) is urging the Administration to focus on protecting American jobs, securing critical supply chains, and ensuring the United States leads the future of artificial intelligence responsibly and transparently.
Congressman Carson believes America must reduce its dependence on foreign supply chains subject to PRC disruption and coercion that leave our economy and national security vulnerable. That means investing in American manufacturing, strengthening global partnerships, and supporting innovation here at home.
As the Congressman highlighted in a recent Select Committee hearing, the Administration must protect our competitive edge in AI technology and rebuild leadership in advanced semiconductor production. We must ensure the future of AI is built on America’s values, rather than those of a dystopian CCP vision of surveillance and censorship. The Congressman importantly highlights that we also have a responsibility to ensure new technologies are developed responsibly, communities have a voice, and economic growth benefits working people.
“AUKUS and the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network are two of our strongest partnerships and are essential to confronting any threat posed by the CCP,” said Congressman Carson, a senior member of the House Intelligence Committee. “I encourage President Trump to reaffirm these networks ahead of the Sumit and continue to strengthen the Indo-Pacific alliances that help keep our country safe.”
Rep. Shontel Brown (OH-11)
In the upcoming summit with Xi Jinping, Congresswoman Brown (D-OH) stresses the Administration must prioritize American workers, confront China’s unfair trade practices, and ensure U.S. producers and manufacturers can compete on a level playing field.
“As President Trump prepares to travel to Beijing to meet with General Secretary Xi Jinping, the President must make clear that American workers, farmers, and families come first. Since the leaders last met in October, we have seen how quickly global markets shift when U.S. producers lack reliable access to key markets. American farmers, especially producers across Ohio and the Midwest, continue to face uncertainty as competitors like Brazil and Argentina capture market share in China,” stressed Congresswoman Brown.
"At the same time, China’s unfair trade practices continue to threaten the heart of America’s manufacturing base such as steel and auto to the broader industrial backbone of Northeast Ohio that has been hollowed out by China’s unfair trade practices. This meeting must focus on securing fair market access for U.S. agriculture, protecting American labor, and ensuring China cannot undercut our industries through subsidies, dumping, or forced labor.
Engagement must deliver real results that strengthen American farmers, support American workers, and provide stability for families while ensuring that tariffs and trade policies are used strategically to defend U.S. producers, not leave them bearing the cost of unfair competition,” she added.
Rep. Haley Stevens (MI-11)
As President Trump travels to Beijing for his second in-person meeting with Xi Jinping, Congresswoman Haley Stevens (D-MI) urges the Administration to enforce our trade laws, fight for Michigan manufacturing, and end our reliance on Chinese supply chains.
For too long, the Chinese Communist Party has weaponized unfair trade practices and restricted market access for American manufacturers, denying Michigan workers and manufacturers a level playing field to compete. Until those problems are addressed, tariff rollbacks and similar economic incentives for Beijing must remain off the table.
Rep. Stevens likewise urges the Administration to support her Unearth America’s Future Act, landmark legislation to champion domestic critical minerals production, and her No Chinese Cars Act, which would block Chinese state-subsidized electric vehicles from entering our markets and undercutting American automakers. The United States must secure our economic strength, lower costs, and ensure that the next generation of innovation is made in America.
Rep. Jill Tokuda (HI-02)
Ahead of President Trump’s latest meeting with Xi Jinping, Congresswoman Jill Tokuda (D-HI) urges the President to remain clear-eyed about the challenge from China and work with allies and trusted partners to counter dependence on China for critical goods and protect America’s economic security.
“Understanding the challenge China poses can be difficult. Its leaders often think in centuries, while our politics move in election cycles. But once you understand that reality, the right actions become clear,” said Congresswoman Tokuda.
“As President Trump prepares for trade talks with Xi Jinping, the United States must draw firm lines and enforce them. America cannot remain dependent on China for critical goods, from rare earths to pharmaceuticals. Strategic competition means building resilient supply chains at home and with trusted partners.
America must also draw a clear red line: we cannot give away our chips or bargain away our leadership in advanced semiconductor technology.
These talks must be about more than tariffs or market access. They are about protecting America’s economic security and standing with allies who face the same pressure and coercion from Beijing. The President must remember who our allies are—and that the real strategic threat we face is China,” she emphasized.
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