Senior Chinese financial and municipal authorities held meetings with top executives from major U.S. firms during a state visit by the U.S. president, underscoring efforts by corporate leaders to advance business initiatives in China.
Jane Fraser, chief executive officer of Citigroup, held discussions with Beijing Party Secretary Yin Li, according to a report from state-backed media. The meeting centered on expanding Citigroup’s operations and promoting the attraction of more international firms and investment to China, the media account said.
Fraser also met with Wu Qing, the chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC). The regulatory statement said the two exchanged views on several topics, including the global economic and financial environment and the continued opening up of China’s capital markets. The meetings were framed as dialogues on issues such as wealth management and cross-border financing.
Separately, David Solomon, chairman and chief executive officer of Goldman Sachs, met with the vice governor of the People’s Bank of China and the director of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, according to a statement from the foreign exchange regulator. The statement did not provide further detail on the discussions.
Fraser was part of a delegation that accompanied the U.S. president on what the report identified as the first visit to China by an American president since 2017. The delegation included some of the most prominent U.S. corporate leaders, representing companies such as Apple, Meta, Boeing, Cargill and Goldman Sachs.
Analysts cited by the report noted the symbolic and practical importance of the presence of these executives. Alfredo Montufar-Helu, a Beijing-based managing director at Ankura China Advisors, was quoted as saying the summit provided a window for attending U.S. CEOs to reinforce corporate diplomacy and to directly present their strategic asks to senior Chinese authorities.
After departing Beijing, the U.S. president told reporters on board Air Force One that China had agreed to purchase 200 Boeing jets, with the potential for that order to increase to as many as 750 planes. The report noted that, if finalised, such orders would constitute Boeing’s first major Chinese deal in nearly a decade. The article did not provide further confirmation of the transaction or additional contract details.
The series of meetings illustrated how senior corporate executives are using high-level diplomatic engagements to press for enhanced market access and financial cooperation. Officials and corporate leaders discussed topics ranging from wealth management and cross-border financing to broader capital market openness, while other interactions with financial regulators took place separately.