Chinese President Xi Jinping met with US business leaders and called on them to help improve bilateral relations.
China's Foreign Ministry says Xi held a meeting with senior officials from US companies, including major investment and semiconductor companies, among other officials at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Wednesday.
Xi stressed that relations between China and the United States “have witnessed some serious setbacks and challenges over the past few years, from which lessons should be learned,” the ministry said. The ministry says Xi added that the two countries “should help rather than hinder each other's development.”
Xi reportedly said that cooperation between the two sides is essential for global economic recovery. He called on the United States to “work with China in the same direction” and “explore the right path for coexistence between the two countries.”
It is rare for Xi to meet officials from foreign companies. Premier Li Qiang spoke with a delegation of Japanese business leaders when they visited China in January.
Observers say Xi wants to stabilize bilateral relations through economic cooperation. China has been at odds with the United States over advanced technologies, such as semiconductors, and Beijing is seeing a decline in direct investment from foreign companies.
