Several American business leaders met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday, as he argued for stronger connections between the two biggest economies.
The gathering of exclusively male participants took place in Beijing and occurred during a period of continued enhancement in the US-China relationship. Xi emphasized that the partnership is beneficial for both sides, despite US resistance to the influence of the Chinese Communist Party, as reported by the Associated Press.
Stephen Schwarzman, the founder of Blackstone, Cristiano Amon, the President and CEO of Qualcomm, Mark Carney, the Chair of Bloomberg, and Rajesh Subramaniam, the President of FedEx, were some of the individuals present, local media sources said.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, China's economy has faced challenges in recovery, but according to the news wire, Xi asserted that the country is once again contributing to global economic growth.
“The relationship between China and the United States is one of the most crucial international relationships. Whether the two nations collaborate or oppose each other has a significant impact on the welfare of their people, as well as the future and destiny of humanity,” Xi stated, citing China’s official Xinhua News Agency via AP.
This meeting comes after a previous discussion between Xi and President Biden last November in San Francisco, signaling an improvement in relations. Other members of the Biden administration have traveled to China or are planning to do so to conduct meetings with top leaders.
Trade and tariffs between the two nations have garnered attention in the lead-up to the US presidential election in November, where Biden is expected to face off against former President Trump, who has spoken highly of Xi and other authoritarian leaders.
“The respective successes of China and the United States create opportunities for each other,” Xi conveyed, as reported by Xinhua. “As long as both sides view each other as partners, show mutual respect, coexist peacefully, and work together for mutually beneficial outcomes, China-US relations will improve.”
