The question of whether Chinese business leaders would accompany President Xi Jinping during his visit to the United States garnered significant global attention. Despite initial expectations, the planned delegation of Chinese executives ultimately did not materialize.
China had initially aimed to send a large business delegation alongside Xi for this visit. According to Reuters, executives from companies such as BYD, CATL, Xiaomi, Guoxuan, Hisense, Wanxiang Group, Bank of China, and COFCO were mentioned as potential attendees. This move was seen as a response to the large U.S. business delegation that accompanied President Donald Trump during his visit to China in May.
However, during Xi's White House meeting and state dinner on September 24, no Chinese business leaders appeared as part of the official delegation. The South China Morning Post reported that some Chinese executives entered Washington separately with U.S. visas but did not join Xi's official entourage or board his plane. Additionally, no Chinese business leaders attended the state dinner, while prominent U.S. executives, including Apple CEO Tim Cook and NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang, were present.
The primary obstacle appears to have been the stalled U.S.-China investment negotiations. The two countries had discussed establishing a Board of Investment to address Chinese investments in the U.S. during their May summit, but progress has since stalled. The South China Morning Post noted that disagreements over which Chinese companies would be allowed to invest in the U.S. and under what conditions hindered the delegation's plans.
For a business delegation to accompany a summit, visible economic outcomes, such as large investment or purchase agreements, are typically necessary. However, with investment negotiations at a standstill, bringing Chinese executives to Washington would likely not yield substantial results.
Moreover, some of the Chinese companies mentioned are subject to U.S. regulations. BYD and CATL are viewed as symbols of China's industrial and technological competitiveness, but the U.S. Department of Defense added both companies to a list of entities linked to the Chinese military in June. The Bank of China is also mentioned in relation to U.S. sanctions against Iran. Analysts suggest that the U.S. government may have been reluctant to allow companies perceived as connected to the Chinese military to participate as part of a normal business delegation.
Ultimately, while China sought to advance economic diplomacy with the U.S. by sending a business delegation, the failure to overcome the barriers in investment negotiations meant that only Xi and senior officials appeared in Washington. This incident highlights the persistent high barriers that remain between the two countries, despite efforts to improve relations at the leadership level.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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