Xi tells Musk, Tim Cook and other CEOs on Trump's trip: China will 'open wider'
As Donald Trump’s delegation meets Xi Jinping, leaders from Tesla, Nvidia and Apple hear Beijing’s pledge to reduce regulatory hurdles and deepen investment ties.
Chinese President Xi Jinping addressed a delegation of United States technology executives in Beijing on 14 May 2026, stating that China will "open wider" to business and investment. The remarks were directed at a group of high-profile CEOs accompanying US President Donald Trump, marking the first visit by an American president to China since 2017.
The delegation included Elon Musk, chief executive of Tesla and SpaceX; Jensen Huang, chief executive of Nvidia; and Tim Cook, chief executive of Apple. They were among more than a dozen US business leaders who arrived in the Chinese capital to engage in talks with their Chinese counterparts.
The summit, which commenced on 14 May 2026, ends a nearly decade-long hiatus in direct presidential interaction between the two superpowers. The agenda for the discussions covers trade, technology, artificial intelligence risk management, and efforts to resolve regulatory hurdles for US businesses operating in China.
Nvidia’s presence highlights the strategic importance of semiconductor trade in the current diplomatic landscape. The company has recently seen heavy institutional buying of its shares amid strong earnings performance. Analysts estimate an earnings per share ramp-up of 16.8% for the firm, reflecting robust market confidence in its financial trajectory.
While Xi’s statement signals a willingness to expand access, the full scope of specific commitments or agreements resulting from the "open wider" pledge remains undefined in the immediate aftermath of the address. The long-term impact of these talks on semiconductor trade policies and AI regulations is yet to be determined.
The talks are part of a broader effort to stabilise economic relations between the world’s two largest economies. US leverage concerns and the strategic importance of technology sectors continue to shape the dialogue, with executives from Tesla, SpaceX, Nvidia and Apple playing a central role in the commercial discussions.
