Xi Jinping, Newly Exalted, Tells C.E.O.s China Will Continue to ‘Open Up’
Mr. Xi, speaking at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing during an event shown on national television, addressed topics such as globalization, innovation
and China’s relationship with the United States at a gathering of executives who included Tim Cook, the chief executive of Apple; Stephen Schwarzman, the chief executive of the Blackstone Group; and Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s chief executive.
Other executives attending the event included Satya Nadella, Microsoft’s chief executive; Masayoshi Son, the chief executive of SoftBank; Henry M. Paulson
Jr., the former Treasury secretary; Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba; Pony Ma, Tencent’s chief executive; and Terry Guo, the chief executive of Foxconn.
30, 2017
SHANGHAI — Just days after being likened to a king by President Trump, President Xi Jinping of China on Monday reiterated his commitment to reform while holding court before a group of wealthy
and influential business leaders from his country and the United States.
Chinese diplomats have used past business summits to promote their country’s economic clout
and influence with American companies before testier meetings with United States leaders and diplomats.
The moves by Beijing have prompted calls in Washington for added scrutiny of Chinese companies
seeking to do business in the United States or buy up American technology companies.
The event — just a week before Mr. Trump is scheduled to make his first visit to China — was most
likely arranged to signal China’s status as an economic superpower and peer of the United States.