US senator Steve Daines visits Beijing as tariff fight grows

Steve Daines is a key Trump ally (AP)

US senator Steve Daines is visiting Beijing as America and China swap tariff threats and harsh words over each others’ handling of the illegal trade in fentanyl.

Mr Daines, a Republican from Montana who is a strong supporter of US President Donald Trump, arrived in the Chinese capital on Thursday after meeting top leaders in Vietnam, according to social media posts by him and the US embassy in Beijing.

He said on X earlier this week that he would be talking with Chinese officials about curbing the production and distribution of fentanyl and “the need to reduce the trade deficit and ensure fair market access for our Montana farmers, ranchers and producers”.

His office said ahead of the trip that he is co-ordinating closely with the White House and will be “carrying President Trump’s America First agenda”.

On Friday, the senator met vice foreign minister Ma Zhaoxu and had a “deep exchange” of views on bilateral relations and issues of mutual concern, according to the Chinese foreign ministry.

Mr Daines previously worked as an executive in China and served as a go-between during Mr Trump’s first term in office when tariffs were also a major issue.

Senator @SteveDaines arrived in Beijing. A member of the @SenateForeign, he was welcomed by Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Anny Vu and will hold discussions on stopping the flow of fentanyl, protecting American jobs, and ensuring fair and reciprocal trade. pic.twitter.com/FKl8lKb7eO

— 美国驻华使领馆 U.S. Mission to China (@USA_China_Talk) March 20, 2025

He is the first member of US congress to visit Beijing since Mr Trump took office in January.

Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said China welcomed Mr Daines and believed “that the stable, healthy and sustainable development of China-US relations is in the common interest of the two peoples and in line with the general expectations of the international community”.

Ms Mao gave no details on Mr Daines’ agenda or on whom he would meet, but added that “China always believes that China and the US should address their respective concerns through dialogue and consultation on the basis of equality and mutual respect”.

US-Chinese tensions have spiked as the US imposed 20% duties on Chinese goods, drawing retaliatory tariffs of 15% on US farm goods from China this past week.

The US accuses China of doing too little to stop the export of precursor materials for fentanyl, a highly potent opiate blamed for tens of thousands of deaths in the US.

China responded with a report detailing its efforts to control the illegal trade in fentanyl, specifically the ingredients for the opioid that are made in China, and the foreign minister blasted the US for responding to Beijing’s goodwill with tariffs.

The report said that China and the US have held multiple high-level meetings since early last year to promote cooperation, and that its Narcotics Control Bureau holds regular exchanges with the US Drug Enforcement Agency.

China is committed to cooperation, the report said, “but firmly opposes the US imposition of unlawful sanctions and unreasonable pressure on China on the pretext of responding to fentanyl-related issues”.

Also on Friday, Wang Wentao, the Chinese commerce minister, met David Ricks, chief executive of the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly and Co, and told the American executive that Beijing hopes multinationals to “overcome the uncertainty in the exterior environment” but continue to do business in China.