Xi Courts International Business Leaders Amid Escalating Trade Tensions with Trump

During a recent gathering in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping urged global business leaders to resist teh tide of protectionism. He aims to leverage the growing discontent with U.S.tariffs to position China as a trustworthy partner on the world stage.

On March 28,Xi subtly criticized former President Donald Trump’s trade policies while addressing around 40 corporate executives,including notable figures like Stephen A. Schwarzman from Blackstone and Judy Marks from Otis Worldwide. His remarks came just after Trump escalated trade tensions, prompting retaliatory threats from Europe and other allies.

“Some nations are building high fences and imposing tariffs while politicizing business matters,” Xi stated at the Great Hall of the people without directly naming any country. “I encourage you all to voice your opinions and take action against these outdated practices,” he added.

This speech is part of xi’s broader strategy to attract investors amid slowing economic growth and rising geopolitical tensions that have made China less appealing for foreign investment—last year saw inbound investments drop to their lowest level in over thirty years. He assured attendees that market access would improve and challenges faced by foreign businesses would be addressed.

“We’re committed to providing a clear and stable policy habitat,” he said, promoting China as an “ideal destination” for international investors. “Choosing China means choosing opportunities.”

The expanded guest list indicates Xi’s desire to reach a broader audience; this year’s event included more than double last year’s attendees, which primarily consisted of U.S.-based executives.

This time around, reporters were allowed into the room during his closing remarks—a departure from previous years—and several executives shared their insights during discussions. Amin H.Nasser from Aramco expressed intentions to boost chemical production investments in China, calling it an “oasis of certainty.”

Stephen Orlins, president of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, noted that Xi aimed for a personal connection with these companies by recalling past interactions even before his presidency.

Executives from various sectors—including FedEx Corp., Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Sanofi SA—also contributed their thoughts during this critically important meeting.

A participant named sean Stein remarked on how detailed and focused Xi’s responses were regarding each speaker’s concerns: “The Chinese side provided thorough insights into key issues affecting multinational corporations.”

The presence of top officials overseeing China’s economy underscored how much weight was given to this event by Xi himself.

While no specific new measures were announced for foreign investors—who often cite unfair competition as a major concern—Michael Hart from the American Chamber of Commerce in china pointed out that interest remains strong among foreign firms despite increasing trade tensions causing some hesitation.“Barriers still exist,” Hart noted about fears surrounding potential retaliatory actions due to ongoing trade disputes.”China needs tangible results for those willing to engage.”

A few American companies have already found themselves caught up in these conflicts; Walmart Inc.’s leadership was summoned recently over reports suggesting they shifted costs onto suppliers due to rising tariffs imposed by Washington.
Additionally,
Calvin Klein’s parent company PVH Corp., along with gene sequencing firm Illumina Inc., found themselves blacklisted amid escalating tariff implementations.

The situation may worsen next month when Washington completes its review regarding compliance with phase-one trade agreements established under Trump’s management—a move likely followed by new duties targeting Chinese goods.
Retaliation seems inevitable if such levies are enacted against products originating from China.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang indicated readiness for unexpected challenges ahead while aiming for ambitious growth targets near 5% this year; economists suggest significant stimulus might be necessary if tariffs continue climbing.

A number of global CEOs attended both the annual China Progress Forum (CDF) alongside Boao Forum events wrapping up March 28th—the meeting represented an evolution compared with prior years where only lower-ranking officials engaged directly with business leaders on sidelines until last year when xi broke tradition himself meeting select U.S.-based representatives directly instead!

This week also saw Republican Senator Steve Daines meet various Chinese leaders including Premier Li—a preliminary step towards perhaps arranging another summit between Trump &Xi down-the-line!

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< p >< span > “Dimming someone else’s light won’t make yours shine brighter ; obstructing others ultimately hinders yourself ,”he concluded .< / span >< / p >