CaliToday (23/9/2025): The leader of a U.S. congressional delegation to China issued a stark warning on Tuesday about the growing "risk of miscalculation" between the two nations' militaries as advances in defense technology accelerate at a breakneck pace.
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| US Representative Adam Smith, flanked by US Ambassador to China David Perdue (left) and Michael Baumgartner, Republican member of House Foreign Affairs Committee during a press conference at the US embassy in Beijing (Pedro PARDO) |
Representative Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, told journalists in Beijing that greater military-to-military communication from China is essential "to de-conflict and to basically reduce" the potential for clashes.
"We have seen this with our warships, our planes, their warships, their planes, getting excessively close to one another," Smith stated at a press briefing at the U.S. Embassy. "We need to have a better discussion on de-confliction."
The four-person delegation also includes fellow Armed Services Committee members—Democrats Ro Khanna and Chrissy Houlahan as well as Republican Michael Baumgartner, a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
On Monday, the group met with Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun, where they discussed the importance of "addressing differences" and having more frank dialogue, according to a U.S. readout. China's state news agency Xinhua reported that Dong, in turn, urged his guests to "remove disruptive and restrictive factors" between the two sides.
Speaking alongside the other lawmakers and the U.S. Ambassador to China, David Perdue, on Tuesday, Smith elaborated on the technological risks. "AI, drone warfare, cyber, and space are all evolving very quickly, and the innovation is happening very quickly," he said.
"The risk of miscalculating what the other side's capabilities are is enormous," Smith warned, adding that dialogue was critical so the two powers "don't stumble into any kind of conflict."
Tariffs and TikTok
The bipartisan congressional delegation's visit comes just days after a second phone call between President Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump since Trump's return to the White House. The two leaders have sought to manage tensions despite Trump's previously harsh criticisms of China.
Trump has announced he will meet with Xi on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea, which begins late next month, and will visit China next year. He also indicated that Xi would visit the United States at an unspecified date.
The warming of diplomatic channels follows a months-long trade dispute earlier this year where both sides sharply increased tariffs on each other's goods, disrupting global supply chains. Washington and Beijing later reached a temporary agreement to de-escalate, with the U.S. imposing a 30% tariff on Chinese imports and China levying a 10% tariff on U.S. products. This deal is set to expire in November.
Smith's group held talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng on Monday, where they discussed the ongoing trade negotiations and hot-button issues including fentanyl, critical minerals, and the future of TikTok.
The White House has indicated that a U.S. version of TikTok would use a domestic model of the app's highly prized algorithm, potentially removing one of the key obstacles to keeping the Chinese-owned platform online in the United States.
When asked about the TikTok issue, Smith remained cautious. "To the best of my knowledge, I do not think this issue has been 100 percent resolved," he said.
The delegation is also scheduled to meet with the chairman of China's parliament, Zhao Leji, and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
