US congress Photo:VCG

Amid the ongoing trade talks between China and the US, however, a number of US senators from both major parties are attempting to introduce bills this week targeting China, reportedly over the old clichés, such as minority groups, dissidents and Taiwan, emphasizing security and human rights, according to media reports on Tuesday. 

The move reflects the growing anxiety and extremism of some China hawks in Washington, Chinese experts said. Influenced by Taiwan-related lobbying groups and hardline forces, Congress has virtually become a "stubborn roadblock," seeking to undermine any constructive efforts of US administration amid the third round of China-US trade talks, the experts noted.

The three bills have Democratic and Republican sponsors, the Reuters report said. 

The move comes as President Trump's push to reach economic agreements between the world's two biggest economies has gained strong support in the US Congress, especially from his fellow Republicans. However, it has also prompted some China hawks to worry that the US government is de-emphasizing security issues, per the report.

"It does appear that President Trump is keen to negotiate some kind of deal with China, and gaps are opening between his approach to China and the approaches of some members of his team, as well as with Congress, which overall has been quite hawkish on China," said Bonnie Glaser, an Asia expert at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, according to Reuters. 

Asked for comment on Monday, White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly said administration officials do not get ahead of the president on pending legislation. "President Trump has publicly discussed his desire for a constructive relationship with China. He is focused on advancing American interests, such as leveling the playing field for American industries," she said via email, according to Reuters.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has repeatedly called on the US side to stop handling China-US relations with the outdated mindset of zero-sum games, stop letting its China policy be guided by the so-called "political correctness", seriously uphold the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, and bring China-US relations back onto the track of sound and steady development.?

It is no longer surprising to see the US Congress introducing unfriendly bills targeting China. When it comes to handling China-US relations, Congress has always lacked a sense of responsibility and strategic vision, and is instead completely driven by domestic political calculations. Its China-related policies are heavily influenced by pro-Taiwan lobbying groups and certain hawkish forces in American society, virtually turning Congress into a "stubborn roadblock" in the overall formulation of US' China policy. Whenever an opportunity arises, certain Congressmen will seize on China-related issues to make political noise, from human rights to Taiwan, Xinjiang, and technology and trade - using every possible tactic, Li Haidong, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

This time, just as the third round of China-US trade talks begins, Congress has once again proposed hostile China-related legislation, further demonstrating its attempt to weaken, or even discredit, any flexible efforts the Trump administration has shown in shaping its China policy, Li noted.

The Trump administration's recent gestures toward easing tensions with China reveals the fact that they clearly understand that the US cannot address its economic challenges - let alone broader global issues - without coordination and cooperation with China. However, this kind of policy tweaking has triggered unrest among China hawks in Congress, who feel they are losing influence. As a result, they have responded with agitation, anger, and increasingly extreme behavior, Li said.