BYD May Join Xi Delegation for Washington Visit
Crhk · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
China and the United States are preparing for a possible leaders’ meeting in Washington next week, with President Xi Jinping expected to visit the US capital and President Donald Trump planning a White House state dinner on Thursday for Xi. Bloomberg, cited by CRHK, reported that Beijing is considering adding electric-vehicle maker BYD to the visiting delegation, with BYD chairman and president Wang Chuanfu under review as a possible participant. The move could prove sensitive because the United States currently imposes a 100% tariff on Chinese electric vehicles, effectively shutting them out of the US market. At the same time, CNN, cited by CRHK, said the Trump administration is considering an AI leaders’ meeting on the sidelines of the visit, and OpenAI has said chief executive Sam Altman will attend the state dinner
Key Points
- Chinese officials including Cai Qi, director of the General Office of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee, are reviewing a list of business leaders for the Washington trip
- People familiar with the matter said Beijing’s selection criteria include possible US deals, loyalty to China, and avoiding distractions from attention on Xi
- Several Chinese business leaders being considered for the trip were still waiting for US visas, according to earlier information cited by on.cc
- If Wang Chuanfu joins the delegation, US officials may regard BYD’s inclusion as provocative because Chinese EVs face a 100% US tariff.
- The proposed AI side meeting has no confirmed schedule or agenda, Trump’s attendance is unclear, and Xi is not expected to take part
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong readers, the story is a reminder that high-level US-China diplomacy is now closely tied to trade barriers and technology competition, especially in electric vehicles and artificial intelligence. Any symbolism around which executives appear in Washington could affect market sentiment toward Chinese manufacturers and tech firms followed by regional investors