U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Idaho Republican U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo will lead a bipartisan delegation to China, Japan and South Korea subsequent week, Schumer’s workplace stated Tuesday.

The different senators on the journey are Louisiana Republicans Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy and Democrats Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire and Jon Ossoff of Georgia.

The journey, scheduled for every week when the Senate is not going to be in session, comes amid escalating tensions with China, together with the nation’s web regulator banning Boise-based Micron Technology, the most important U.S. reminiscence chip maker.

The Chinese authorities cited nationwide safety considerations, however the transfer was additionally seen by some as retaliation for the U.S. authorities banning gear from Chinese producers Huawei and ZTE in November.

In addition to its Idaho headquarters, Micron introduced final yr the semiconductor maker would spend up to $100 billion to construct a manufacturing unit in New York state, which Schumer represents.

Micron additionally has a plant in Japan, which pledged almost $1.3 billion Tuesday to help that website.

South Korea has a considerable microchip sector, which may gain advantage from China’s ban on Micron, although the U.S. ally has up to now declined to capitalize on the state of affairs.

The senators would deal with sustaining U.S. management in superior applied sciences, Schumer’s workplace stated.

Cassidy informed reporters on a phone information convention Tuesday that the journey was meant to cut back tensions with China, tackle the problem of fentanyl from China coming into the U.S. and selling commerce with the nation. China might be a marketplace for liquified pure fuel, which is exported from the U.S. primarily from amenities on Louisiana’s Gulf Coast, he stated.

Meeting with Chinese leaders might cut back the prospects of an eventual battle with China, he stated.

“It’s no mystery right now that there’s tension right now between the Chinese Communist Party and the United States of America,” Cassidy stated. “Hopefully, by exchanging views, we can reduce that tension. We do not want war between our two countries. I don’t want American troops deployed.”

Promoting liquified pure fuel might assist enhance Louisiana’s financial system and cut back emissions from Chinese coal vegetation, he added.

“They could buy U.S. natural gas shipped out of Louisiana,” he stated. “That would clean up their air. It would also create more jobs in Louisiana.”

The journey will characteristic conferences with authorities and enterprise leaders in every nation and would deal with “economic and national security interests in the region,” a spokesperson for Cassidy stated Tuesday. The senators additionally plan to meet with U.S. corporations with outposts in every nation.

Cassidy launched a invoice final week geared toward defending his state’s shrimping business that will create a U.S. Trade Office activity drive to monitor upcoming Chinese industrial subsidies.

In a written assertion a spokesperson for Ossoff stated the senator was centered on nationwide safety and financial points.

“From his post on the Senate Intelligence Committee, Sen. Ossoff is relentlessly focused on U.S. national security, and he continues to champion Georgia as a destination for global investment,” the spokesperson wrote. “Later this week, Sen. Ossoff will travel to Asia for high-level engagements to advance U.S. national security interests and Georgia’s economic interests in the region.”

– Jennifer Shutt contributed to this report.