Several foreign CEOs are anticipated to attend a key development conference in Beijing this month and potentially meet with President Xi Jinping, according to a preliminary agenda and three informed sources.
The China Development Forum is scheduled for March 23-24 at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, as relayed by two Reuters sources. Against a backdrop of increased international tensions, Beijing seeks to bolster foreign investment to counter new U.S. tariff pressures.
Among the anticipated attendees, based on the disclosed agenda, are CEOs from companies such as FedEx, Siemens, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Qualcomm, AstraZeneca, Nestle, Saudi Aramco, Citadel, Rio Tinto, McKinsey, Estee Lauder, Standard Chartered, and KPMG. The Chairman of Deutsche Bank is also slated to participate.
Confirmed by a Mercedes-Benz representative, CEO Ola Kallenius is expected to attend the event. However, there was no official comment from AstraZeneca on the potential participation of their CEO.
Although BMW did not provide a statement, sources mentioned that BMW China's head, Sean Green, would be present to reaffirm the company's commitment to the Chinese market. Notably, the CEOs of Micron and AMD, who attended last year’s event, are absent from this year's list.
The gathering is expected to feature executives from major mining, engineering, and healthcare enterprises, with a notable presence of European CEOs compared to prior years. It is anticipated that President Xi will meet with a select group of foreign business leaders post the forum, possibly including CEOs from Europe and the UK.
As tensions escalate between the U.S. and China, exemplified by recent trade actions, the summit holds significant implications for global business dynamics. China's focus on boosting domestic consumption and engaging with foreign business leaders highlights the intricate balance of economic priorities in the current climate.