LaHood leads delegation to China for trade talks

By Benjamin Cox on March 18, 2019 at 3:10pm

The representative of Illinois’ 18th U.S. House district is heading to China to talk trade.

Republican congressman Darin LaHood and Wisconsin Democratic congressman Rick Larsen, co-chairs of the U.S.-China Working Group, are leading a Congressional delegation trip to China to meet with Chinese and U.S. officials to discuss the importance of a fair-trade partnership between the two nations.

Members of the delegation will make stops in Hangzhou and Beijing to meet with high ranking Chinese officials, as well as representatives from U.S. businesses, including manufacturing, tech, and agriculture, operating in China.

In advance of the trip the delegation met with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to discuss and receive an update on the ongoing high-level negotiations between the two countries.

Ambassador Lighthizer is President Trump’s lead negotiator in the talks with China.

In Beijing, Rep. LaHood and the delegation will be accompanied by US Ambassador to China, Terry Branstad at all their high-level meetings. Ambassador Branstad is the former Republican Governor of Iowa and is a strong advocate for agriculture.

Rep. LaHood currently serves on the Ways and Means Committee, which has sole jurisdiction over all trade issues and moreover, any legislative matter involving trade with China will be addressed by this Committee. In addition, Ambassador Lighthizer has regularly met with the Committee in the last year to specifically address trade with China.