Xi Plans to Bring Top Tech Executives on US State Visit, Mirroring Trump Delegation
Chinese President Xi Jinping is weighing plans to lead a high-powered delegation of top Chinese technology, electric vehicle, and aerospace executives during an expected state visit to Washington in late September, according to a report by the South China Morning Post.
The proposed business delegation would mirror the makeup of President Donald Trump’s May trip to Beijing, where more than a dozen prominent American chief executives—including the heads of Apple, Tesla, Nvidia, and Boeing—accompanied the U.S. leader under bilateral principles of reciprocity.
While Beijing has not finalized the delegation’s roster, Chinese officials are planning business exchange forums during the trip. However, several top executives under consideration have yet to secure U.S. visas, prompting Beijing to urge Washington to expedite approvals.
High-Stakes Preparatory Talks
The planned summit comes amid mounting friction between the world’s two largest economies over artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced technology. Analysts caution that expectations for significant policy breakthroughs remain muted, with Beijing placing greater emphasis on public optics, engagement, and relationship stabilization.
Preparations are expected to run down to the wire. Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent are scheduled to hold talks in the coming days ahead of Xi’s departure, according to people familiar with the matter.
The two officials previously met in Seoul shortly before Trump’s trip to China in May to lay the groundwork for high-level talks. Their upcoming meeting is expected to revisit key outcomes from the May summit, including a bilateral dialogue on AI as well as trade and investment committees designed to manage market access.
While trade discussions have shown signs of modest progress, negotiations over an investment committee remain stalled. Beijing has pushed for a clear list of U.S. sectors open to Chinese capital, but Washington continues to favor case-by-case national security reviews.
Despite the hurdles, both governments view Xi’s reciprocal trip as a vital opportunity to stabilize ties and keep open channels of communication between the two superpowers.