As President Xi Jinping prepares for an upcoming visit to the United States to meet with President Donald Trump, speculation is growing about which business leaders will accompany him. While executives from major Chinese companies such as electric vehicle manufacturer BYD, technology firm Xiaomi, and battery producer Contemporary Amperex Technology Limited are expected to be part of the delegation, a notable absence has been observed: top leaders from frontier artificial intelligence companies.
Reportedly, influential figures from Chinese AI firms like DeepSeek’s Liang Wenfeng and Moonshot AI’s Yang Zhilin are not included in any publicly reported delegation lists. Although the final composition of the delegation remains unconfirmed by Beijing, analysts suggest that this omission is likely a strategic decision to protect key AI talent amid escalating geopolitical tensions and divergent approaches to AI development between China and the United States.
Chen Zhiwu, finance professor at the University of Hong Kong, described the exclusion as a protective measure, indicating that the presence of cutting-edge technology leaders abroad “could put them in a difficult position” at this time. Similarly, a think tank analyst familiar with the situation, speaking on condition of anonymity, highlighted the vulnerability of top AI researchers and entrepreneurs given the current geopolitical environment. The analyst suggested that overseas travel could expose these individuals to “unforeseen risks,” making their absence a form of precaution.
In contrast, U.S. AI executives appear poised to participate actively during Xi’s visit. Reports indicate that OpenAI’s president Greg Brockman and CEO Sam Altman plan to attend a White House state dinner held in Xi’s honor. This difference in participation may mirror the contrasting domestic dynamics surrounding AI in the two countries.
Alicia Garcia-Herrero, chief economist for Asia-Pacific at Natixis, observed that while Washington is grappling with domestic opposition and political scrutiny concerning rapid AI development, Beijing seems to recognize America’s need for a pause but chooses not to expose its own AI leaders. She remarked, “It is quite, quite clear to me.”
Recent weeks have seen prominent Western AI figures, including Altman, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, and xAI founder Elon Musk, publicly advocate for a measured approach to developing advanced AI technologies, citing concerns about outpacing existing safety protocols.
Beyond security concerns, the composition of the delegations is also shaped by bilateral negotiations and the broader agenda of U.S.-China relations. Alfredo Montufar-Helu, managing director at Ankura Consulting in China, explained that the lists of business leaders accompanying heads of state are typically the product of mutual agreement, often focusing on companies whose interests align with bilateral economic discussions or those impacted by trade restrictions. He referenced the previous visit of then-President Trump to China in May, when U.S. executives from companies like Nvidia, Tesla, Apple, BlackRock, and Boeing were part of the delegation.
Montufar-Helu also cautioned that, as of now, there is no official confirmation regarding the final list of Chinese CEOs traveling with Xi. The ongoing diplomatic dialogue will likely determine the exact makeup of the business contingent accompanying the Chinese president to the United States.