Bill Gates is kicking off a trip to China. Will he meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping? His trip overlaps with a top American diplomat’s visit there, but lately, Beijing has opened its arms to business leaders while giving politicians the cold shoulder. What’s behind China’s power play with Washington?
The billionaire’s latest visit comes at a precarious time for US-China relations. Tensions are running high over the future of AI and advanced semiconductors, raids by Chinese officials on international companies, and heightened fears that China could attack Taiwan.
This is not the first time Xi has called on American business leaders to help improve relations between their two countries. In 2021, Xi wrote to Starbucks (SBUX)’ former chairman and CEO Howard Schultz, suggesting he help promote bilateral ties, according to Chinese state media.
Article: China’s Xi greets ‘old friend’ Bill Gates in first meeting with a US business magnate in years