Xi Jinping to visit the United States to join the executive delegation of Chinese enterprises: political and commercial bonding diplomacy again becomes the focus of observation

Reuters on September 18.During a visit to Washington next week, Xi Jinping may lead a group of Chinese large-scale enterprise heads to counterparts, according to sources, the executives of companies such as Byadi, Ningde era, Xiaomi, Huan Gokyo, Haizhen, Wanda Group and China Bank are considered to be on the list, and the final arrangement still depends on Sino-U.S. economic and trade consultations and visas.

Corporate executives follow, release is not just a commercial signal

It is not uncommon for Chinese leaders to have a high-profile escort group made up of heads of large enterprises during their visits.Reuters saidThe move is seen as a response to the U.S. corporate delegation during Trump’s visit to China in May, and may also be used by Beijing to demonstrate a willingness to improve Sino-U.S. business relations.

But these companies are not ordinary market entities.Byadi and Ningde were recently concerned about U.S. national security censorship, and some Chinese companies are at the same time in the U.S. investment restrictions, supply chain security and civil integration disputes. When the highest political leaders bring corporate executives into the national foreign agenda, the line between business interests and national strategy will become more blurred.

The accompanying arrangement has not yet been finally confirmed, but it has demonstrated Beijing’s usual state-led policy and business coordination: companies are both market actors and may be included in the foreign and industrial policy toolkit.

White House rejects CEO’s Roundtable, both sides seem to be exchanging codes

The report also said that the U.S. side did not accept the suggestion to hold the roundtable meeting of the US-China CEO, but relevant Chinese enterprises may still participate in the White House national banquet.In the meantime, the two sides are discussing issues such as rare-earth export licenses, agricultural procurement, tariff ceasefire and market access.

This means that the emergence of corporate executives does not necessarily represent a warming up of business relations between the two countries.Instead, they could become the real-world keynote in negotiations: Beijing wants to fight for technology and market space, while Washington demands that China make concessions in key minerals, trade commitments and corporate transparency.

Outside the Red Wall: Under the Party State system, the “privacy” of enterprises needs to be understood in the institutional environment.

China's ownership structure of large enterprises is different from each other, and cannot be viewed as a state enterprise; but under the one-party political system of the Communist Party of China, party organization construction, industrial policy, national security regulations and political loyalty requirements will continue to affect the business environment of enterprises.

Therefore, this possible accompanying corporate delegation is worth observing from two levels: on the one hand, it may bring practical business negotiation opportunities; on the other hand, it also shows again that Chinese corporate diplomacy is not entirely determined by the enterprise itself, but works in sync with national strategies under a highly concentrated political system. For foreign governments and companies working with Chinese enterprises, understanding this systemic relationship is more important than simply distinguishing between “state enterprises” and “private enterprises”.