At 7 a.m. Washington time, a brief statement came from Capitol Hill, like throwing a huge rock on the calm lake, and people were to visit China.
This is the first official visit to Congress since 2019. The time point was selected exquisitely, just after China held the 1993 military parade. This is not a coincidence, but more like a response.
The lingering sound of China's display of a new generation of strategic equipment in Tiananmen Square has not dissipated, and the United States has quickly made diplomatic actions, obviously not planning to "wait" for the situation to develop again. This time, the US's initiative has an unusual flavor.
The military parade is a "internal affairs show" in many countries, but in Beijing, it is not only a commemoration, but also a strategic public signal.
When the camera swept over the Dongfeng-61, J-35A, and the hypersonic missile that debuted, the picture was transmitted back to the other side of the Pacific Ocean, the Pentagon's pizza order index soared. Behind this "unofficial indicator", there was a kind of uneasiness, working overtime analysis, emergency assessment, late-night meetings, and the US defense community did not sleep all night.
Especially the emergence of Dongfeng-5C and new anti-ship missiles has made many American analysts take a breath. The advantages of the past "aircraft carrier strike group" may become "high-value targets" in the face of these "outsiders", and the deployment of these weapons shows that China is rapidly transitioning from "land defense" to "regional denial".
President Trump watched the video overnight on the night of the military parade and immediately summoned Secretary of Defense Hegseyth. They discussed for a long time but could not come up with any useful solutions.
After all, the global deployment of the US military is supported by the pockets of the American people. In recent years, the American people's patience with the government's use of troops overseas has gradually been exhausted.
High inflation, soaring prices, housing crisis, medical pressure... On the one hand, Congress approved tens of billions of military spending to support overseas battlefields, and on the other hand, local people are worried about the price increase of eggs. This "contrast reality" forced Washington to re-examine the trend of public opinion.
The Trump team obviously realized that diplomacy cannot only listen to the Pentagon, but must listen to the voices of the outside world. This is why they began to prepare to send people to China, which means that this is a "temporary restart" that is closer to domestic political reality.
The plan of the US delegation to visit China was first disclosed by NBC and later confirmed by Congress. The "confidentiality" of the entire process is comparable to that of military deployment.
The leader of the visit was senior Democratic Congressman Adam Smith. The information of other members was not revealed. The itinerary, which should have been promoted at a high-profile manner, was handled almost "silently", and many insiders in Congress said they were "unknown in advance."
What does this mean? This means that this visit is not for show, but for testing. What is more interesting is that the visit fund comes from the Trump administration rather than traditional private institutions. This "fiscal shift" means that the White House has stronger political control over this visit and hopes to create a pragmatic, low-key and controllable communication atmosphere.
The route is also very cautious: not talking about "hot spots", and going to Cambodia after visiting China is both symbolic and avoiding sensitivity. This approach is completely different from the high-profile style of American politicians who came to Asia in the past to "guide the world".
Before the delegation arrived, the "high-level hotline" between China and the United States had been connected in advance. Neither side "pulls high-profile door", but instead focused on keywords such as "avoid misjudgment and maintaining communication mechanisms".
These words sound like "old tunes are repeated", but in the current situation, being able to talk in itself is a progress. After all, in the past few years, the direct communication between the top leaders of the two countries has almost fallen into a "cool-off period".
This time, both sides are trying to "cool down". Although there is no question of "thawing", they are at least willing to answer the phone. After the Beijing military parade, the Pentagon accelerated the drafting process of the new version of the "National Defense Strategy". The new strategy may emphasize "defending the local government and stabilizing the Western Hemisphere" as its core goal, and gradually reduce the military presence in Eastern Europe and the Middle East.
This means that the United States may cut aid to Ukraine and even withdraw some of its troops stationed in Europe. Currently, the US military has nearly 80,000 people in Europe. Any withdrawal will cause anxiety among allies.
But in the Asia-Pacific region, the United States has added codes. The US military conducted two rounds of large-scale exercises in the South China Sea and strengthened its deployment in Guam, northern Australia, and southwestern Japan. Some people even began to call these three places "new triangle chains" in an attempt to create a "regional suppression circle."
This "one-switch-and-release" strategy is actually the way the United States tries to maintain global influence under limited resources, but it also shows that it can no longer "show the net" like in the past and must choose sides to place bets, and China happens to be the "opponent" it dares to ignore the least at present.
China did not show "excitement" or "resistance" to this visit to the US delegation, but maintained a consistent and stable attitude. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not arrange a welcome ceremony, nor did it release too much news in advance, but just "wait quietly". This way of handling not only avoids passive responses, but also avoids excessive hype.
Beijing's logic is very clear: we welcome communication, but we will not accept the rhythm control of "come as you say, go as you say", this "prudent reception" itself is a signal that the dominance of Sino-US relations is no longer a game of one-way pressure.
More importantly, China's strategic rhythm has not been disrupted by the outside world. Continue to promote military modernization, continue to stabilize the basic economic situation, and continue to strengthen security cooperation with neighboring countries... These are the "internal strength" that Beijing values more.
On the surface, this visit to the US Congress delegation seemed to be just a "symbolical dialogue", but the strategic implications behind it should not be underestimated.
This is the first time in six years, the first time since the Trump administration's return, and a rare consensus between the two parties. These labels overlap, indicating that a "new roadmap to China" may be brewing within the United States.
Of course, this does not mean that the confrontation is over and cooperation restarts, but at least it means that the United States realizes that the "cold treatment" strategy in the past has no way to work and must find a way to "controllable game".
In Beijing in 2025, a military parade caused not only applause, but also strategic thinking. The US Congress’s visit to China is a response to this "military show" and a test of a new stage of Sino-US relations.
Before the delegation was implemented, Beijing's equipment had already "visited" the strategic nerves of the United States. Next, whether the two countries can find space for dialogue under the new reality will determine the order of the Asia-Pacific in the next decade.
The world has changed, the rhythm is changing, and the right to speak is quietly shifting. A real big country does not rely on shouting slogans, but on being able to sit down and talk clearly and continue. Perhaps it is not the moment of "shaking hands" between China and the United States, but at least, it is no longer just back to back.
Information source: Rare in more than 6 years, senior U.S. Congressman: The House delegation prepares to visit China this month, "I think it is of great significance" - Shangguan News
