Just hours apart on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, two congressional hearings laid bare the United States’ calibrated yet deeply sceptical approach to China, with senior officials stressing the pursuit of stable ties without trust and highlighting alleged Chinese efforts to steal or circumvent US technology restrictions.
The officials’ appearances before Congress reflected bipartisan concern and underscored persistent tensions over trade and advanced technologies such as semiconductors, ahead of US President Donald Trump’s planned April summit in Beijing with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
In a House Foreign Affairs Committee session on advancing national security through commercial diplomacy, a top State Department official articulated the administration’s stance: seeking a constructive relationship with China while withholding trust.
“Having a stable relationship with them is not in contradiction with trusting them,” said Jacob Helberg, Under Secretary for Economic Affairs, when asked about his threat assessment of the country. “China has not given us many reasons to trust them.”
The comments come ahead of Trump’s trip to China in late March, where he is set to meet with Xi. The White House confirmed last week that the trip will take place between March 31 and April 2, marking Trump’s first visit to China since returning to office.
