Trump Brings Corporate America to Beijing for Xi Jinping Summit
CNBC reported Monday that President Donald Trump has invited a sweeping roster of America’s most powerful corporate executives to accompany him on a trip to China this week for a high-stakes summit with President Xi Jinping.
A Who’s Who of Corporate America Heads to Beijing
The delegation reads like a Fortune 50 roll call. Tesla chief Elon Musk, Apple CEO Tim Cook and BlackRock chief Larry Fink are among those invited, according to a White House official who spoke anonymously because the list had not been formally announced.
Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, Goldman Sachs chief David Solomon, Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser, Blackstone’s Stephen Schwarzman and Mastercard’s Michael Miebach are also expected to make the trip. Representatives from Cargill, Coherent, GE Aerospace, Illumina, Meta Platforms, Micron Technology, Qualcomm and Visa round out the group.
Cisco said CEO Chuck Robbins received a White House invitation but cannot attend due to a scheduling conflict with the company’s earnings calendar.
What Is on the Table in Beijing
The summit agenda is expansive. Trade frameworks, artificial intelligence policy, export controls, Taiwan and the ongoing Iran conflict are all expected to feature in discussions. Trump has said publicly he wants to return from China with a package of business deals and purchase agreements.
The talks arrive after a prolonged stretch of friction between Washington and Beijing over AI technology access, sanctions measures and restrictions on rare earth mineral exports.
Citigroup’s Fraser told CNBC on Friday that direct engagement between the two largest economies is essential, describing it as something “we all need.”
Background: A Long Road of US-China Tension
US-China relations have cycled through repeated crises over the past several years. Trade tariffs, tech export bans targeting semiconductor firms and disputes over Taiwan have all strained diplomatic and commercial ties. Previous high-level meetings produced limited lasting agreements, leaving business leaders eager for a more durable framework.
The inclusion of so many corporate chiefs signals Trump’s intent to frame this visit around economic deal-making rather than purely diplomatic signaling.
Notable Absences Draw Attention
Not everyone made the list. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, whose chips sit at the center of the US-China AI rivalry, was not included. Huang told CNBC last week that attending would be “a great privilege” if an invitation came. General Motors, Disney and Alphabet also have substantial China exposure but were not named among the attendees.
The delegation is expected to depart later this week ahead of formal meetings with Xi.
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