Xi tells Musk, Tim Cook and other CEOs on Trump's trip: China will 'open wider'

During a high-profile meeting with American business leaders, Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized China's intent to further open its markets to foreign enterprises. Xi expressed that U.S. companies play a crucial role in China's ongoing reforms and have significantly benefited from the economic partnership. According to the state-run Xinhua news agency, Xi reiterated that 'China's door will only open wider,' inviting increased cooperation from the United States. He expressed confidence that American businesses would discover even greater opportunities within China. Among the prominent figures present were Tesla's Elon Musk, Nvidia's Jensen Huang, and Apple CEO Tim Cook, who accompanied President Donald Trump on his trip to China. The meeting highlighted the importance U.S. entrepreneurs place on the Chinese market, with hopes of expanding their business ventures and collaboration. The White House, in a statement on social media, echoed this sentiment, noting discussions on enhancing economic ties between the two nations, including improving market access for American firms and encouraging more Chinese investments in the U.S. Experts, such as George Chen from The Asia Group, view Xi's remarks as a strong signal for global companies to maintain their investments in China, pointing out the need for the nation to stay appealing to foreign investors. The ongoing competition between the U.S. and China in artificial intelligence was also a topic of discussion. While the U.S. has imposed restrictions on certain technologies, including Nvidia’s chips, China is bolstering its domestic tech capabilities. Companies like Alibaba are developing AI models that rival those from leading U.S. firms. Recent reports indicated that the U.S. government might permit Nvidia to supply advanced technology to select Chinese companies, although this has yet to materialize. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent commented that he was unaware of any developments regarding Nvidia's H200 chips in China, emphasizing the situation remains complex. Huang, who joined the delegation later in the trip, described the summit in Beijing as 'one of the most important in human history,' although he refrained from discussing specifics about Nvidia's operations in China. Instead, he praised the inspiring atmosphere fostered by both Xi and Trump during their discussions. Bessent added that the U.S. and China are expected to collaborate on safety protocols regarding AI to prevent non-state actors from accessing sensitive models.