A delegation of US congressman will take a high-speed train journey from Shanghai to Beijing on Monday to gain first-hand experience and a better understanding of the world's second-largest economy.

"That's when they can have a little bit of view of China through the (train) windows on the busy trip," said Jan Berris, vice-president of the New York-based National Committee on US-China Relations.

The seven-day visit is the fifth one NCUSCR has organized since 2006 and includes five House members: Rick Larsen (D-WA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Leonard Lance (R-NJ), Michael Turner (R-OH) and Billy Long (R-MO). They left for Shanghai on Thursday.

"We hope it will give them some empathy as to why China makes certain decisions and doesn't make other decisions," Berris said.

The trip comes after the world's two largest economies had political transitions in November when President Barack Obama gained re-election and China announced its new leadership during the 18th Party Congress.

China is the US' third-largest export destination and a $250 billion market for American companies, according to Washington-based US-China Business Council, which represents more than 250 US companies doing business in China.

Last year, 23 US governors visited China to pursue Chinese investments. New York-based research firm the Rhodium Group said Chinese investment in the US totaled more than $6.5 billion in 2012.

While the group's interests have ranged from security to military issues on previous trips, this time the members are particularly interested in understanding the Chinese economy - issues including the internationalization of the renminbi, rebalancing of the Chinese economy, and structural and economic reforms.

"There's much to be gained in both economic and strategic terms if we get the relationship right," Congressman Larsen said of the trip during an event on Capitol Hill on Wednesday. "I do expect we'll hear about the US investment climate in China."

During the first stop in Shanghai, the House members will be meeting Fang Xinghai, deputy chief executive officer of the Shanghai Stock Exchange, visiting Boeing Shanghai aviation Services, - a joint venture between Boeing, the Shanghai Airport Authority and China Eastern Airlines - and the local FedEx facility.

In Beijing, the Congressmen will be meeting officials, including Vice-Premier Wang Qishan, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, and officials from the defense and foreign affairs ministries, and the National People's Congress Foreign Affairs Committee.

The NCUSCR, a non-profit organization that promotes understanding and cooperation between US and China, sent the first congressional delegation in 1976. After a pause of several years, the initiative was picked up again in the 1990s because "Congress became more important to the relationship between China and the US and began playing a much larger role in the US politics", said Berris.

After another lull, the committee started the trips again in 2006 shortly after the Congress posed objections toward the UNOCAL acquisition offer made by China National Oil Corporation.

"It's important to provide opportunities for members of Congress to have a better, first-hand understanding of China, the challenges it faces, and the developments it has made," said Berris. The program will help the Congress members to gain direct knowledge of China so they won't make decisions based on "inaccurate reporting and information have heard and read".

Organization of such trips also follows the mandate of the US-China Working Group established in 2005 by Congressman Larsen and Senator Mark Kirk, when he served as a Congressman of Illinois.

The group now has about 50 members from both parties and educates Congress members and officials on US-China issues.

yuweizhang@chinadailyusa.com

(China Daily 01/25/2013 page1)