Chinese CEOs fly to US on own, await invites to Trump’s state dinner for Xi Jinping
A small group of Chinese CEOs holding US visas has arrived in Washington after travelling separately from President Xi Jinping’s official entourage, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter. But with the clock ticking and the business optics of the Chinese leader’s White House visit hanging on the final twists of diplomatic negotiations, the executives are still waiting to find out…
A small group of Chinese CEOs with US visas traveled separately from President Xi Jinping's official delegation to Washington, awaiting an invitation to President Trump's state dinner for Xi, according to sources familiar with the matter. The Chinese executives, unlike US counterparts, did not fly with Xi's official party or aboard his aircraft.
The decision on their participation in the state dinner was influenced by talks between US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng at the World Bank in Washington. An extension of the "Busan arrangement" on trade by two months until January 10 was agreed upon, potentially leaving the door open for the executives to attend the state dinner and side events.
However, their presence may yield more optics than substance, as the small delegation may not deliver the soft-power benefits Beijing hoped for. Some executives might voice their dissatisfaction with US investment restrictions during the event. While the presence of Chinese CEOs at the state dinner would help balance the presence of US technology bosses, the US side treated reciprocity as applying only to senior leadership, while Beijing viewed it as a message of economic interdependence.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
