Montana Republican is helping narrow differences on issues expected to dominate summit planned for September in Washington, source says
3-MIN READ3-MIN ListenKhushboo RazdanandWilliam ZhengPublished: 6:00am, 1 Aug 2026Updated: 6:04am, 1 Aug 2026US Senator Steve Daines is expected to return to China for another round of talks ahead of President Xi Jinping’s planned September visit to Washington, according to people familiar with the preparations.The trip was intended to help finalise the agenda for what both sides hoped would be a high-stakes summit between Xi and US President Donald Trump, one of the sources said.Daines, a Montana Republican, has emerged as an important backchannel figure between Washington and Beijing. He visited Beijing in May as the two sides sought to stabilise relations ahead of Trump’s trip to the Chinese capital later that month.
One person familiar with the matter said Daines had been carrying messages ahead of leader-level engagements and helping narrow differences on issues expected to dominate the coming summit.
Daines’ role positions him as a pivotal intermediary as preparations enter their final stretch, according to the source.
“Both sides understand his role very well,” the source said. “He has become an effective channel for communicating President Trump’s concerns to the Chinese side and vice versa.”
