Chinese and American officials are negotiating the possible inclusion of business executives in President Xi Jinping’s delegation for his upcoming visit to Washington, where he is scheduled to meet with US President Donald Trump on September 24. The talks coincide with efforts to extend a trade agreement reached in Busan, South Korea, last October, which established a one-year truce in the ongoing trade tensions between the two countries.
During a recent meeting in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and US Ambassador to China David Perdue discussed preparations for Xi’s visit. Wang emphasized the need for both sides to implement prior agreements, manage differences, and remove obstacles to high-level exchanges to achieve “stable, healthy and sustainable” bilateral relations. Perdue described the discussions as “fruitful” and reaffirmed Washington’s readiness to enhance communication and cooperation, highlighting the success of Trump’s May visit to China, which was accompanied by leading US company executives, including heads of Tesla, Apple, Nvidia, and Boeing.
Sources familiar with the current negotiations indicated that China is keen to bring business leaders along on Xi’s trip, pointing to continued interest among Chinese companies in investing in the US. This proposition is framed around reciprocity, following the large US business delegation during Trump’s visit to Beijing. The discussion also ties into advancing the Board of Trade agreement, a key outcome of last year’s summit aimed at identifying non-sensitive sectors eligible for tariff-reduced trade capped at $30 billion per side. Some observers suggest that the delegation could help shift the dynamic from confrontation to managed economic competition and strengthen ties between Chinese and American business communities.
However, there is disagreement on which party initiated the proposal. While some sources say Beijing is leading the push for a business contingent, others maintain the request originated from Washington. The trade talks and delegation plans are unfolding in parallel, with both countries seeking tangible outcomes as they manage a complex economic relationship.
Regarding the trade truce extension, both sides are reportedly inclined to prolong the agreement beyond its November expiration. However, differing views persist on the duration: China favors extending it through the end of Trump’s presidential term in January 2029, aiming for longer-term stability and to “lock in” favorable terms, whereas the US appears to prefer another one-year extension, a position some analysts interpret as a strategy to maintain leverage. Despite these differences, several sources consider an extension almost certain, though the White House is not aiming for a major breakthrough during the September summit.
The original truce includes commitments to reduce certain US tariffs on Chinese goods, suspend additional restrictions on Chinese companies, pause export controls on rare earth minerals, and secure Chinese commitments on soybean purchases and fentanyl precursor regulation. Recent US measures, including tariffs on drones and bans on certain Chinese imports, along with Chinese retaliatory actions, suggest ongoing friction amid the truce.
Additional points discussed during the preparatory meetings include ongoing economic, regulatory, and diplomatic issues, with both sides expressing interest in advancing cooperation while managing areas of contention. The Xi-Trump summit in Washington thus represents a critical moment for shaping the trajectory of US-China relations in the near term.