Legislators and their staff are hurrying to get their visas in order before they leave in early July. They also have one other major task - to figure out the purpose of their visit.

"I hope there is some accountability," said House Majority Leader David Clark, who will lead the delegation along with Senate Majority Leader Curt Bramble. "I am personally not taking this trip saying, 'This is just eight days in China.' ''

Clark will ask legislative leaders this week to create specific expectations for the diplomatic trip that go beyond the already stated vague plans to create new economic ties or further educational and cultural exchanges.

This journey to China's Liaoning Province is but one of a number of international trips Utah's lawmakers will make this year, but is the only one funded solely by Utah's taxpayers.

Lawmakers have set aside $18,000 for the jaunt, but may spend more. Many are taking their spouses, but say they are paying for those expenses personally.

Legislators have gone or will go to Algeria, Taiwan, Turkey and Kyrgyzstan by the end of the year. The trips are funded by foreign governments, national organizations or big business.

And while legislators reject a "junket" label, they have some difficulty articulating the benefit to the people they represent.

Bramble defends the trip to Liaoning.

"It is hardly what you would call a junket," he said. "It really is to establish relations with another government."

The delegation will include eight Republicans and four Democrats.

But at least a few Democrats are a little squeamish about the tentative plans.

"Let's just say, I'm not certain I'm going to go," said Rep. Carol Spackman Moss, D-HolladayÂ.

She is intrigued by China's educational system and believes there could be some economic benefit derived from building relationships. But she hasn't seen any specifics from Republicans who are planning this trip.

"I would like to know more about what they would like to gain from it," she said.

Sen. Pat Jones, D-Holladay, believes those goals need to be clearly and publicly stated.

"If taxpayers fund trips like that, taxpayers deserve to know where their benefit lies," said Jones, who is not going on any of the international legislative trips.

Clark hopes those answers will come during meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The Liaoning visit came as a surprise to some Democrats but has been a few years in the making.

Weber State University information technology professor Taowen Le first broached the idea with former House Majority Leader Jeff Alexander and Liaoning officials in 2005.

During the 2006 legislative session, a delegation from Liaoning made a brief stop in Utah. They drafted an "exchange and cooperation agreement" with Utah's Legislature that promised to "promote bilateral exchange visits" and to create a "sister-state relationship."

Now it is Utah's move, said Clark, who touts the trip as a "trade mission," similar to the delegation Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. led to China last year.

While business here is regularly conducted without government involvement, "over there the government takes a much bigger role," Clark said. In this way, he describes Utah lawmakers as the "second tier" diplomatic corps behind federal government officials.

House Speaker Greg Curtis, who went to China with Huntsman, said state leaders should not be involved in foreign policy, but with an increasingly integrated world economy, Utah still has interests to protect and expand.

Curtis said this trip to Liaoning is similar to the biennial trip legislative leaders take to Taiwan.

For the trip, funded by the Taiwanese government and organized by Utah lobbyist and former Senate President Miles "Cap" Ferry, Bramble plans to lead a group later this year. As with the trip to China, lawmakers will meet with local government leaders. But the motivations of the foreign government differs.

China is looking for economic opportunities, while Taiwan wants political support. The U.S. government does not recognize Taiwan, instead views it as a part of China. So the Taiwanese try to curry favor with state lawmakers, hoping that some of them may become members of Congress, said Clark, who went to Taiwan two years ago.

To show their support, Utah lawmakers routinely pass non-binding resolutions urging the president and Congress to support Taiwan's involvement in the World Health Organization.

The Legislature has backed similar resolutions five out of the last 10 years. In 2005, the House passed a resolution about the WHO. The next year the Senate followed suit. And earlier this year, both chambers passed it again.

This Taiwan trip, whose tens of thousands of dollars in expenses are not disclosed publicly, has been criticized as a junket by open government watchdogs and even some lawmakers. House Minority Leader Ralph Becker questions why Utahns participate.

"I don't really know what the relationship is between the state of Utah and Taiwan, other than we seem to pass a resolution every year extolling the virtues of Taiwan," he said. "Do you think Congress really cares what the opinion of the state of Utah is on that?"

Lawmakers also participate on international visits arranged by organizations such as the National Conference of State Legislatures, which is primarily funded by state money, and the Senate Presidents' Forum, a business-funded non-profit.

Valentine, who will go to Turkey and Kyrgyzstan later this year, says such travel "is a way for policymakers to have a broader perspective."

mcanham@sltrib.com

Going places

* This journey to China's Liaoning Province is only one of a number of international trips Utah's lawmakers will make this year, but is the only one funded solely by Utah's taxpayers.

* Lawmakers have set aside $18,000 but may spend more.

* Many are taking their spouses, but say they are paying for those expenses personally.

* Legislators have gone or will go to Algeria, Taiwan, Turkey and Kyrgyzstan by the end of the year. These trips are funded by foreign governments, national organizations or big business.