The USCC consists of 12 commissioners, a non-partisan staff, and facilities that were absorbed from the former U.S. Trade Deficit Review Commission.

[3] The current head of the commission is Carolyn Bartholomew and the vice chairman is Robin Cleveland, who are responsible for organizing meetings with other commissioners.

[4] The USCC staff and facilities are from former U.S. Trade Deficit Review Commission by the Floyd D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act of 2001.

[7] In the following years between 2004 and 2009, the USCC stated that China's undervalued currency, counterfeiting and piracy, export subsidies and lack of protection of U.S. intellectual property rights were continually contributed to a growing trade deficit.

[10][11] In the 2020 annual report, the commission stated 10 keys recommendations but many of them are related to security versus purely economic-centered.

[11] The USCC fulfills its mission by holding regular meetings with commission members to discuss recent related matters include write full analysis of eight focused parts,[4] which are energy, U.S. capital market, economic transfers, regional economics and security impacts, U.S.–China bilateral programs, weapon proliferation, World Trade Organization compliance and implications of restrictions on speech and information access in China.

[15] The latest hearing was held on April 15, 2021, the topic was "An Assessment of the CCP's Economic Ambitions, Plans, and Metrics of Success".

Each commission members are appointed to a two-year term by the speaker of the House, after consulting with majority of U.S. Senate's leaders.

[citation needed] According to academic Stephen Roach, from 2000 to at least 2022, the commission has functioned as a high-profile forum for anti-China policy sentiments and has increased distrust towards China.