The Trump administration has invited the heads of major US companies, including chipmaker NVIDIA and aerospace giant Boeing, to join President Donald Trump on his visit to China next week, Reuters reported, citing a Semaphore report on Thursday.
Executives from Apple, Exxon Mobil, Qualcomm, Blackstone, Citigroup and Visa were also invited, the report said. Reuters said it could not independently verify the full list of invitees, although sources familiar with the matter said several invitations had been sent out on Wednesday night.
Speaking to CNBC’s Jim Cramer earlier in the day, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang said, “If he was invited, it would be a privilege, it would be a great honor to represent the United States. Trump should be able to announce the plans himself,” Huang added.
The White House and several companies, including Apple, Citigroup, Exxon and Visa, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Boeing and Blackstone declined to comment, while Qualcomm confirmed it had received an invitation but gave no further details.
The visit to China is expected to focus on trade, technology and aviation
The proposed business delegation comes ahead of Trump’s planned meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing next week. The summit is expected to focus on trade, technology restrictions, aircraft purchases, artificial intelligence and broader geopolitical tensions between the two countries.
For Boeing, the visit could have significant business implications. Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg told Reuters in April that the company was depending on support from the Trump administration to secure a long-awaited order for the planes from China. Industry sources told Reuters the talks could cover up to 500 Boeing 737 MAX planes, along with dozens of wide-body jets. If completed, it would be Boeing’s first major Chinese order since 2017.
Reuters reported separately on Thursday that US senators from both parties visiting Beijing called for stable economic ties between Washington and Beijing ahead of the Trump-Xi meeting. Chinese officials also reiterated the importance of cooperation, although disputes over Taiwan, trade controls and technology exports remain unresolved.
The Trump administration’s relationship with major U.S. corporations also comes amid ongoing negotiations over semiconductor exports to China. NVIDIA has remained at the center of debate over limitations on AI chips and access to the Chinese market, one of the company’s biggest overseas revenue opportunities.
