Published on
Chinese President Xi Jinping sought to strike a conciliatory tone with American business leaders during US President Donald Trump’s state visit to Beijing, telling executives that China “will only open its door wider” and that “China-US economic and trade ties are mutually beneficial and win-win in nature.”
The declaration comes as China seeks to use Trump’s visit to project economic stability and present itself as an attractive destination for foreign investment at a time of slowing growth and heightened geopolitical uncertainty.
According to statements released by China’s foreign ministry and state-run Xinhua news agency, Xi said Beijing would continue to expand market access and improve conditions for foreign companies operating in the country.
The Chinese president even went as far as to say that “US businesses are deeply involved in China’s reform and opening up efforts” and that the country welcomes more mutually beneficial cooperation from its main economic rival.
Xi also described economic globalisation as an “irreversible historical trend” as Chinese state media coverage of the summit focused heavily on economic cooperation and portrayed China as supportive of open global markets and stable supply chains.
Despite the positive messaging surrounding Trump’s visit, major disagreements between Washington and Beijing remain unresolved, particularly in the technology sector.
Both the Biden and Trump administrations imposed restrictions on exports of advanced semiconductor technology to China over national security concerns. Beijing has repeatedly criticised those measures, arguing they unfairly restrict Chinese technological development.
No concrete developments on reaching an agreement to ease these restrictions or resolve issues in other sectors has been publicly shared as of yet.
Even so, both governments appeared keen to present the visit as constructive, with Beijing using the presence of prominent American executives to reinforce its message that China remains open for business despite continuing tensions with Washington.
CEOs meet with Chinese Premier Li Qiang
Alongside the headline meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump, several senior American executives also held separate discussions with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and other top economic officials in Beijing.
According to Chinese state media reports, the bilateral meetings focused heavily on market access, investment conditions and cooperation in advanced technology sectors.
Executives including Tesla CEO Elon Musk, outgoing Apple CEO Tim Cook and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang alongside other representatives from major financial and industrial firms reportedly discussed supply chains, AI electric vehicles and semiconductor policy with Chinese counterparts.
While concrete agreements have not been publicly announced, Chinese officials emphasised continuity and economic stability.
According to state-linked accounts circulating after the meetings, Chinese Premier Li Qiang reiterated Xi’s message that China will continue improving the business environment for foreign companies and expand opening-up policies.
The bilateral corporate meetings reflected Beijing’s broader strategy of separating commercial engagement from wider political disputes with Washington, and highlighted the increasingly central role major multinational companies play in US-China diplomacy.
For Beijing, hosting prominent American executives alongside Trump’s visit allows Chinese leaders to project confidence at a time of economic pressure and rising scrutiny from Western governments.
For the companies involved, the trip offers a rare opportunity for direct engagement with China’s senior leadership amid continuing uncertainty over tariffs, export controls and regulatory barriers.
Analysts quoted by several international outlets cautioned, however, that while the optics were positive, the discussions were unlikely to resolve the deeper structural tensions shaping the relationship between the two superpowers.
