Why are so many U.S. CEOs in China with Trump, and what do they want?

MoneyWatch Why are so many U.S. CEOs in China with Trump, and what do they want? .chip { background-image: url('/fly/bundles/cbsnewscore/images/chip-bgd/chip-bgd-moneywatch.jpg'); } By Aimee Picchi, Aimee Picchi Associate Managing Editor, MoneyWatch Aimee Picchi is the associate managing editor for CBS MoneyWatch, where she covers business and personal finance. She previously worked at Bloomberg News and has written for national news outlets including USA Today and Consumer Reports. Read Full Bio Aimee Picchi, Megan Cerullo Megan Cerullo Reporter, MoneyWatch Megan Cerullo is a New York-based reporter for CBS MoneyWatch covering small business, workplace, health care, consumer spending and personal finance topics. She regularly appears on CBS News 24/7 to discuss her reporting. Read Full Bio Megan Cerullo Updated on: May 14, 2026 / 3:40 PM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google Chinese President Xi Jinping told U.S. CEOs traveling with President Trump to China that it will open further to American business, a key goal for corporate leaders eager to expand their presence in the world's second-largest economy.Xi spoke with the delegation of chief executives, which includes Apple CEO Tim Cook, Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, according to a statement on Thursday from the Chinese Foreign Ministry. The executives — whose combined net worth approaches $1 trillion — lead companies with major interests in China, despite years of trade disputes between the world's two largest economies.China's pledge to welcome more foreign business comes after years of escalating trade tensions with the U.S., including the Trump administration's move last year to raise tariffs on Chinese imports to as much as 125% after Mr. Trump said China "was taking us for a ride." Yet U.S. companies continue to see China's expanding middle class and massive consumer base as critical growth markets, even as it has become harder to wring profits from financially struggl...