Four Senators Plan Asia Trip Before Trump-Xi Summit

A bipartisan group of four U.S. senators will travel to Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea in the coming days to strengthen American partnerships in the region. The diplomatic mission comes ahead of President Trump's scheduled May summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.

WASHINGTON — Four senators from both political parties are preparing for a diplomatic journey to three key Asian nations as part of efforts to strengthen America’s strategic partnerships in the region ahead of President Trump’s upcoming meeting with China’s leader.

New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen, who serves as the leading Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, revealed the travel plans on Saturday. She will travel alongside Republican Senator John Curtis from Utah, Republican Senator Thom Tillis from North Carolina, and Democratic Senator Jacky Rosen from Nevada. The delegation will visit the capitals of Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea before Trump’s scheduled May summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.

The senators’ planned stop in Taiwan may provoke criticism from Beijing, which views such diplomatic exchanges as undermining its territorial claims over the democratically-governed island. While Taiwan depends on U.S. support to maintain its democratic system, recent Trump administration actions, including discussions about potential arms sales to Taiwan during conversations with Xi, have created uncertainty about America’s future approach.

Experts on both sides of the Pacific anticipate that Xi will use the high-level meeting to persuade Trump to adopt a less supportive position toward Taiwan.

“This bipartisan delegation demonstrates Congress’ commitment to these alliances and partnerships is unwavering and will endure well beyond any one administration,” Shaheen stated.

The congressional delegation intends to conduct meetings with government officials and military leaders throughout their journey as a gesture of continued American support for these regional partners.

“Our alliance with Taiwan is one of the most strategically and morally significant partnerships America has in the Indo-Pacific,” Curtis commented.

Questions remain about how Trump’s international interventions in countries like Venezuela and Iran might affect relationships with major powers including China and Russia. Some members of Congress worry that the Republican president’s foreign policy decisions could provide opportunities for these nations to advance their own international objectives.

Trade relations with Taiwan have also attracted attention from the Trump administration. America’s dependence on Taiwanese semiconductor manufacturing has created a trade deficit approaching $127 billion through the first eleven months of 2025.

The Trump administration negotiated an agreement with Taiwan in February that eliminated 99% of existing trade restrictions.

When another bipartisan congressional group visited the region last year, they stressed America’s ongoing commitment to maintaining close cooperation with Taiwan.