SHANGHAI, China (AFP) — A bipartisan delegation of United States senators led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer arrived in China on Saturday, state media reported, as Washington seeks to calm tensions with Beijing.

"US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, leading a bipartisan delegation of senators, arrived in Shanghai on Saturday, the first stop of their trip in China," state broadcaster CGTN said.

The delegation's plane landed early afternoon in Shanghai, China's economic powerhouse, according to photos published by CGTN.

Schumer is set to meet with senior officials in the city before heading to the capital Beijing, where Bloomberg has reported his delegation is seeking a meeting with President Xi Jinping.

China has said it welcomes the delegation and that it hopes it enhances the lawmakers' "understanding" of the country.

Beijing's foreign ministry said the trip will "promote dialogue and exchanges between the legislative bodies of the two countries, and inject positive elements into the development of China-US relations."

US media reported the group will seek to raise issues ranging from the climate for US businesses in China to human rights.