From Elon Musk to Jensen Huang, what CEOs with Trump on China visit are eyeing – Firstpost

United States President Donald Trump is in Beijing for a closely watched summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, carrying with him one of the most influential corporate delegations assembled for a US-China diplomatic visit in recent years.

The two-day engagement between Washington and Beijing comes at a time when the relationship between the world’s two largest economies
remains strained on multiple fronts.

Alongside discussions concerning the Iran conflict, trade and technology are expected to dominate conversations between the two leaders.

It is Trump’s first presidential visit to China since his 2017 trip during his first term in office, and it comes as his administration attempts to stabilise a fragile trade understanding with Beijing while also defending American technological and industrial interests.

Trump has publicly said that one of his first requests to Xi will be for China to “open up” more sectors of its economy to American businesses.

Since returning to office, Trump has continued many of the hardline trade measures introduced during his earlier administration, including steep tariffs on Chinese imports and tighter restrictions on advanced technology exports.

In response, Beijing imposed significant duties on American products entering China. In April last year, China raised import taxes on US goods to 125 per cent after the United States lifted tariffs on Chinese products to 145 per cent.

The escalating measures affected several industries, including aviation, semiconductors, manufacturing, and agriculture.

The summit therefore, is
an opportunity for many American corporations to reduce uncertainty in one of the world’s most important markets.

Officials accompanying the delegation are reportedly exploring the creation of a new “Board of Trade” or “Board of Investment” mechanism intended to manage trade disputes, capital flows, and long-term investment coordination between the two economies.

Elon Musk seeks Chinese approval for Tesla’s self-driving tech

Among the most prominent business figures travelling with Trump is Elon Musk, whose commercial ties with China remain extensive through Tesla’s manufacturing footprint in the country.

Musk is reportedly focused on obtaining final regulatory approval for Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology in China. Tesla had previously projected that the system could launch in the Chinese market by early 2026, but approvals from Chinese regulators have remained pending.

When asked by reporters how meetings had gone, Musk said, “Wonderful.”

China is one of Tesla’s most important markets globally, and the company’s Shanghai operations continue to play a major role in its production and exports. Securing approval for advanced driver-assistance systems would represent a major commercial breakthrough for Tesla in the country.

Musk’s participation in the trip is notable for several reasons beyond Tesla’s commercial interests. The billionaire previously led Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, a temporary agency that was later dissolved in November 2025.

Relations between Musk and Trump also deteriorated publicly last summer after a series of hostile exchanges on social media.

At one stage, Musk claimed that the government was withholding information related to Trump’s alleged association with Jeffrey Epstein. Musk later said that he regretted some of the posts he had made on X regarding the president.

Despite those earlier tensions, Musk travelled aboard Air Force One alongside Trump for the China visit, highlighting the continued strategic significance of his companies in the administration’s economic and technological agenda.

The Tesla and SpaceX chief has simultaneously been facing multiple international challenges outside the China negotiations. Reports have noted that French prosecutors are seeking charges against Musk and X related to child sexual abuse imagery, deepfakes, disinformation, and alleged failures connected to Grok, the platform’s artificial intelligence system.

Musk is also involved in an ongoing legal dispute involving OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman.

Jensen Huang & Nvidia at the centre of AI chip diplomacy

Another executive in the spotlight is Jensen Huang,
who joined the presidential delegation at the last minute after earlier reports suggested he would not participate in the visit.

Huang’s inclusion has put the focus on semiconductor diplomacy between Washington and Beijing, particularly regarding artificial intelligence chips and export controls.

“Meetings went well,” said Huang, as the CEOs walked down the steps to their waiting bus. “Mr. Xi and President Trump were incredible.”

Nvidia has spent months navigating increasingly complicated US regulations governing the sale of advanced semiconductors to China. Earlier this year, the Trump administration introduced additional security conditions on exports of Nvidia’s H200 artificial intelligence chips while still permitting their sale under strict oversight mechanisms.

The rules established by the US Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security require that the chips undergo third-party review before shipment to China. The regulations also state that China cannot use the chips for military purposes and cannot import more than half the volume sold to US customers.

Although the H200 chip was cleared for export under those conditions, Beijing has reportedly not yet fully authorised domestic companies to purchase the product. Chinese authorities have instead continued to encourage the development and use of domestic alternatives, including products from Huawei.

Nvidia has publicly argued that overly restrictive controls on semiconductor exports could eventually weaken American competitiveness. The company has maintained that prolonged barriers may accelerate China’s efforts to build independent chip capabilities while reducing access to one of the world’s largest technology markets for US firms.

The H200 is also not Nvidia’s most advanced artificial intelligence processor. The company’s newer Blackwell architecture and the upcoming Rubin platform are not included in the approved export category.

Tim Cook’s final major diplomatic mission as Apple CEO

Tim Cook is also part of the delegation during what is expected to be one of his final major diplomatic assignments before stepping down as chief executive of Apple.

Cook recently announced that he would relinquish the CEO position on September 1 after nearly 15 years leading the technology giant. Apple’s
head of hardware engineering, John Ternus, is set to succeed him, while Cook will remain involved with the company as executive chairman.

During Cook’s tenure, Apple transformed into one of the world’s most valuable corporations, with its market capitalisation increasing by trillions of dollars during the iPhone-driven expansion era. Much of that success, however, relied heavily on Apple’s manufacturing network in China.

That dependence required Cook to navigate increasingly complex political tensions between Washington and Beijing. During Trump’s first presidency, Cook successfully persuaded the administration to exempt products such as the iPhone from certain tariffs.

The current environment has been more difficult. Trump has repeatedly pushed Apple to relocate more manufacturing operations to the United States while maintaining tariffs on several Chinese-made products.

To reduce its exposure, Apple
shifted a growing portion of iPhone production intended for the US market to India while also expanding manufacturing diversification efforts in Vietnam. The company additionally pledged to invest $600 billion in the United States, helping it secure some tariff exemptions from the administration.

Cook’s primary objective during the Beijing trip is believed to be ensuring stability for Apple’s remaining Chinese supply-chain infrastructure and consumer operations.

Apple continues to rely significantly on Chinese manufacturing capacity and maintains a large customer base in the country.

After a few meetings, when asked how they went, Cook gave a peace sign, then the thumbs up.

Boeing seeks aircraft breakthrough

Kelly Ortberg became Boeing’s chief executive in 2024 after previously leading aerospace manufacturer Rockwell Collins. Since taking charge at Boeing, he has worked to stabilise
a company grappling with regulatory investigations, production delays, legal challenges, and financial pressure.

China remains an important market for Boeing, but trade tensions have significantly complicated aircraft sales and deliveries. Beijing’s 125 per cent tariff on American goods dramatically increased the cost of Boeing aircraft entering the Chinese market.

Despite those challenges, Boeing has continued negotiations over a major aircraft agreement involving up to 500 Boeing 737 MAX jets as well as additional widebody aircraft.

Ortberg has previously said that the trade dispute with China would not derail Boeing’s long-term financial recovery or its delivery goals with Chinese airlines.

Reports surrounding the current summit suggest Boeing has already resolved some disagreements concerning access to critical spare aircraft parts, an issue that had slowed previous negotiations.

While Boeing has gradually reduced the proportion of finished aircraft sent to China compared to earlier years, the country remains strategically significant for the company’s future commercial aviation growth.

Alongside Boeing, GE Aerospace CEO H Lawrence Culp Jr is attempting to strengthen maintenance and supply agreements involving aircraft engines and Chinese state-owned airlines.

Semiconductor, biotech & manufacturing execs pursue regulatory clarity

Several other executives travelling with Trump are focused on regulatory and industrial concerns affecting their sectors.

Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra and Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon are both seeking a more predictable regulatory environment for American semiconductor firms operating in China.

US chipmakers have faced increasing security reviews and restrictions in recent years as Beijing and Washington continue to impose competing technology controls. Industry leaders are hoping the summit can reduce some uncertainty surrounding mobile processors, memory chips, and related technologies.

Coherent CEO Jim Anderson is pursuing expanded industrial contracts involving photonics and laser technologies used in manufacturing and advanced industrial systems.

Meanwhile, Biotech company Illumina’s CEO Jacob Thaysen is aiming to expand access for DNA sequencing technologies and biotechnology tools within China’s healthcare market.

Wall Street pushes for deeper financial access

A major contingent from Wall Street has also joined the trip, with Blackrock CEO Larry Fink and Blackstone CEO Stephen Schwarzman reportedly advocating for wider participation in China’s pension, investment, and wealth-management sectors.

The two executives are also involved in discussions concerning the proposed “Board of Trade” framework, which could create a more formal structure for managing bilateral capital flows and economic disputes.

Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon and Citi CEO Jane Fraser are similarly seeking broader operating licences in investment banking and asset-management services.

For years, major American financial institutions have sought expanded access to China’s financial system, although regulatory limitations and political tensions have frequently slowed progress.

Mastercard CEO Michael Miebach and Visa CEO Ryan McInerney are both seeking greater integration into China’s domestic payment infrastructure.

China’s payment ecosystem has historically been dominated by domestic firms such as UnionPay and Alipay, leaving limited space for international payment processors. Mastercard and Visa are hoping to secure wider operational opportunities in one of the world’s largest consumer markets.

Meta president Dina Powell McCormick is also participating in the visit on behalf of Meta. Her discussions are expected to focus on artificial intelligence governance, AI safety standards, and the possibility of limited access for some Meta-related services or advertising operations within China.

Meta’s platforms have faced restrictions in China for years, making any progress in market access particularly sensitive.

Agriculture remains central

American agribusiness corporation Cargill’s CEO Brian Sikes is reportedly seeking major Chinese purchase agreements involving soybeans and beef products.

Agricultural imports have historically served as an important stabilising mechanism during periods of US-China trade tension. Beijing has at times increased purchases of American farm products as part of broader efforts to ease disputes and reduce the bilateral trade imbalance.

The administration is expected to highlight any agricultural purchase commitments as evidence of progress
toward narrowing the US trade deficit with China.

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With inputs from agencies