Trump-Xi state dinner: Why America’s biggest tech bosses will be at the table | Today’s news
When Chinese President Xi Jinping sits down for a state dinner with US President Donald Trump at the White House on September 24, the guest list will bring together some of the biggest names in American technology and business.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Tesla and SpaceX boss Elon Musk, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Nvidia Jensen Huang, OpenAI Sam Altman, Dell Technologies Michael Dell and Apple executive chairman Tim Cook are among the technology leaders invited to the East Room dinner. Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser is also on the list, while JPMorgan Chase chief executive Jamie Dimon is expected to attend, according to people familiar with the guest list.
The dinner comes on the sidelines of Xi Jinping’s first US state visit in more than a decade and as Washington and Beijing struggle to manage tensions over trade, artificial intelligence, semiconductors and rare earth minerals.
Why are so many CTOs participating?
Quick answers to key questions
•5 QUESTIONS
Key topics will include artificial intelligence, trade and tariffs, the semiconductor dispute and issues related to rare earth minerals.
CTOs are participating because their companies are at the forefront of the US-China competition in technology, trade and artificial intelligence, so their presence in the discussions that affect their industries is essential.
The U.S. restrictions on advanced chips are a critical issue because they aim to limit China’s access to cutting-edge technology, which directly affects technology and trade negotiations.
Yes, companies should be concerned because discussions about AI safety and regulations are likely to affect the technology landscape and operational capabilities in both countries.
Rare earth minerals are significant because they are key to technology and electronics, with China controlling much of the supply, making them a key point in trade negotiations.
The guest list reflects the growing importance of technology to US-China relations.
AI is expected to be one of the main topics in the discussions between Trump and Xi. U.S. and Chinese officials are also preparing for talks on AI security, technological competition and rules for increasingly powerful AI systems.
The companies represented at the dinner sit across several sectors at the heart of the US-China competition:
Nvidia: advanced AI chips and computing infrastructure
OpenAI: generative AI and underlying models
Google: AI, cloud computing and digital services
Apple: smartphones, consumer technology and supply chains linked to China
Tesla: electric vehicles and battery technology
Dell: computers, enterprise technology and data center infrastructure
Amazon: cloud computing, AI and e-commerce
Their presence puts executives from some of the world’s most prominent technology companies in the room as Trump and Xi discuss precisely the issues affecting their industries.
AI could become the next big battlefield
Artificial intelligence has added a new dimension to the US-China competition.
The two countries are racing to develop advanced artificial intelligence models, computing infrastructure and semiconductor capabilities. At the same time, Washington and Beijing are debating the security of artificial intelligence and ways to maintain communication over the risks posed by increasingly powerful systems.
AI is also closely linked to the semiconductor dispute. The U.S. restrictions on advanced chips are designed to limit China’s access to some cutting-edge computing technologies, while Beijing has protested what it sees as U.S. efforts to limit China’s technological development.
The prominence of tech leaders at Trump’s state dinner for Xi — including Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, OpenAI’s Sam Altman, Tesla’s Elon Musk, Google’s Sundar Pichai and Apple’s Tim Cook — underscores the commercial importance of the issue.
The chip war is another reason why dinner matters
Technology executives are also closely tied to the semiconductor dispute between Washington and Beijing.
The US has imposed restrictions on China’s access to some advanced chip and semiconductor technologies, citing national security concerns. China has protested US technology restrictions.
For companies like Nvidia, political decisions made in Washington can have a direct impact on access to the Chinese market and the global supply chain for AI chips.
Rare earths and supply chains
Rare earth minerals are another major issue expected during Xi’s visit.
China has a dominant position in the processing of many rare earths and related materials used in electronics and electric vehicles.
Washington wants reliable access to these materials, while Beijing seeks relief from US technology and export restrictions. US officials have said they do not expect Washington to trade its export controls for more supplies of Chinese rare earths.
Trump called it a “very tough ticket”
The guest list itself became a topic for Trump.
Speaking in the Oval Office, Trump said he would like thousands of people to attend the dinner and joked that the event was a “very tough ticket.” He said he told some friends they just couldn’t come.
The dinner will be held in the East Room of the White House, and Trump and Xi are expected to deliver remarks.
Read also | From tariffs to AI: 7 things Trump and Xi will discuss
