Trump says Xi state dinner is ‘a very tough ticket’ as business guest list takes shape
US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he had turned away friends hoping to attend next week’s state dinner for Chinese President Xi Jinping, as reports emerged that executives from some of China’s biggest companies could join the visit. “This is a very tough ticket for me,” Trump told reporters. “I’ve told a lot of very good friends of mine, you just can’t come.” The president said the…
US President Donald Trump remarked on Friday that attending next week's state dinner for Chinese President Xi Jinping is "a very tough ticket" as he turns away many friends who had hoped to be invited. The White House has room for around 125 people, though thousands are eager to attend. The president lamented that the planned ballroom, capable of accommodating 2,000 guests, is not yet open.
The White House has not confirmed the guest list, but reports cite executives from major Chinese companies like BYD, CATL, Xiaomi, Hisense, Wanxiang Group, Bank of China, and COFCO as potential attendees. The list is still under consideration. US side attendees include Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and Apple board chairman Tim Cook.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is meeting with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in New York to discuss potential economic outcomes of the summit and discuss artificial intelligence safety and governance. The inclusion of Chinese executives could expose some companies to US restrictions or political scrutiny during the leaders' meeting.
Written by urgent.news from Reuters Business via SCMP's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
