Former U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao traveled to Beijing just three days after her husband, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), was rushed to the hospital following an apparent heart attack that required CPR.
Chao, a former transportation secretary, met with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng on June 17. There are images published by Chinese outlets showing the two seated together during talks ostensibly focused on relations between Washington and Beijing.
In his meeting with Chao, Chinese Vice President Han Zheng called for China and the United States to take more steps to improve ties, saying both sides should work together to move the relationship forward. He said the two countries should follow through on the consensus reached by their leaders to build a more constructive and stable U.S.-China relationship.
Chao’s trip came as McConnell’s office continued to provide only limited information about the senator’s health. While aides have acknowledged that McConnell remains hospitalized, they have not publicly addressed the extent of his condition or explained how his Senate business is being managed during his absence.
“Senator McConnell was admitted to the hospital this morning. He is receiving excellent care,” spokesperson David Popp said in a statement on June 14.
McConnell, 84, has dealt with several medical setbacks over the past few years. Earlier this year, he spent more than a week in the hospital after seeking treatment for flu-like symptoms.
He also suffered multiple falls at the Capitol, including one last October when aides and Capitol Police helped him back to his feet after activists approached him. In February 2025, he was seen leaving the Capitol in a wheelchair following two separate falls.
In late 2024, he had another fall during a Senate lunch. A year earlier, he was hospitalized after a separate accident left him with a concussion and broken ribs.