President Donald Trump has invited top U.S. CEOs, including Elon Musk of Tesla and SpaceX, and Larry Fink of BlackRock, to join him at a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in China from May 13 to 15, 2026. The White House confirms this high-level delegation signals a shift toward commercial negotiations amid ongoing U.S.-China tensions.
Key Business Leaders in Attendance
The U.S. business delegation features prominent executives such as Tim Cook of Apple, Stephen Schwarzman of Blackstone, David Solomon of Goldman Sachs, Jane Fraser of Citigroup, Kelly Ortberg of Boeing, Larry Culp of GE Aerospace, Michael Miebach of Mastercard, Cristiano Amon of Qualcomm, and Ryan McInerney of Visa. Leaders from Cargill, Illumina, and Micron Technology also join the group. Notably, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, a key figure in AI, did not receive an invitation, as the focus leans toward agriculture and commercial aviation rather than advanced semiconductors.
Summit Agenda and Priorities
Discussions center on trade, artificial intelligence, export controls, Taiwan, and tensions in Iran. This meeting marks a pivot from previous hardline U.S. policies, emphasizing business interests after Trump imposed tariffs exceeding 50% on Chinese imports in April 2025, later reduced to 30%.
Boeing Deal on the Horizon
A major goal involves reviving Chinese orders for Boeing aircraft. Reports indicate China may commit to up to 500 Boeing 737 MAX planes, the first such order since 2017. Success here would signal a significant thaw in trade relations.
Market Reactions and Outlook
Financial markets view the summit positively for risk assets, though concrete outcomes remain pending. Investors in stocks and cryptocurrencies await tangible results, such as tariff relief or technology restrictions easing, post-May 15. This gathering of top CEOs underscores Trump’s push for concrete deals over diplomatic talks alone.
