According to a report from the South China Morning Post, the participation of a Chinese business delegation in President Xi Jinping’s upcoming U.S. visit is in doubt due to unresolved disagreements over potential U.S. investments. The report indicates that differences between the U.S. and China regarding the Board of Investment, specifically concerning potential Chinese investments in the U.S., have cast uncertainty on the delegation's participation. The investment forum established following the May summit between Xi and President Donald Trump in Beijing has reportedly remained stalled.
Poor logistics and a lack of formal engagement with Chinese businesses visiting Washington have further added to the uncertainty, with China viewing the situation as a break from reciprocity. The publication notes that China expects arrangements offered to U.S. businesses in May to be matched during Xi’s Washington visit. Despite these issues, one source still expects a Chinese delegation to arrive, citing the presence of U.S. business leaders at the state dinner.
Anticipated attendees from prominent Chinese firms include figures from electric vehicle maker BYD Company Limited (OTC: BYDDF), battery maker Contemporary Amperex Technology Limited (CATL), and smart manufacturing giant Xiaomi. Additionally, reports from USA Today suggest that a White House state dinner for Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday will include major tech executives. These attendees are expected to include Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) founder Jeff Bezos, Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ: NVDA) CEO Jensen Huang, Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL) CEO Sundar Pichai, and Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) former CEO Tim Cook.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comments from Benzinga. The summit comes as the Trump administration and China discuss potential AI safety cooperation. Ahead of the visit, Washington has sent mixed signals about Chinese automakers investing in the U.S., with the President initially dismissing reports of a framework allowing their entry as a "phony rumor" but later suggesting support if they build vehicles domestically and hire American workers. Meanwhile, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer stated in April that the administration would maintain Biden-era restrictions on Chinese vehicle software and hardware over data-security concerns.
