Executives from some of China’s biggest technology and electric vehicle companies could accompany Chinese President Xi Jinping during his upcoming visit to the United States, according to people familiar with the preparations cited by Reuters.
Companies under consideration include electric vehicle giant BYD, battery manufacturer CATL, technology and EV company Xiaomi, battery maker Gotion High-Tech, and electronics manufacturer Hisense.
The final list of business executives has not yet been confirmed and could still change.
Their potential participation comes at a crucial moment for relations between the world’s two largest economies, with trade, tariffs, technology and access to the U.S. market expected to remain major issues.
The automotive industry is particularly important.
Chinese automakers have expanded rapidly across international markets, offering increasingly competitive electric vehicles while improving battery technology, software and manufacturing efficiency.
BYD has emerged as one of the world’s largest manufacturers of electric and electrified vehicles, while CATL has become a dominant player in the global EV battery industry.
Xiaomi, best known internationally for smartphones and consumer electronics, has also entered the increasingly competitive Chinese electric vehicle market.
However, Chinese-made EVs face major barriers to entering the United States, including high tariffs and national-security-related restrictions affecting Chinese automotive technology.
That makes the potential presence of Chinese EV and battery executives during Xi’s U.S. visit especially noteworthy.
The visit could provide another opportunity for American and Chinese officials and business leaders to discuss the future of trade and investment between the two countries.
It does not, however, mean that any new agreement allowing Chinese automakers greater access to the U.S. market has been reached.
With Chinese automakers expanding rapidly around the world, decisions made by Washington and Beijing could eventually have major consequences for American automakers, EV prices, battery production and the broader global car industry.