President Xi to Meet Top Tech Execs During Upcoming Visit to U.S. - Report

Sep 09, 2015 06:45 AM EDT

(Photo : REUTERS/Jason lee) Chinese President Xi Jinping is seen during a meeting with U.S. National Security Advisor Susan Rice during their meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing last month. Xi is scheduled to meet with execs from America's top tech companies during his visit to the U.S. later this month.

China is co-hosting a forum with Microsoft that will provide President Xi Jinping an opportunity to meet with executives from some of the most successful U.S. tech companies, according to the New York Times.

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The meeting, scheduled to happen in Seattle on Sept. 23, will take place before President Xi heads to Washington to meet with President Barrack Obama and later the U.S. General Assembly.

The technology forum between the Chinese leader and executives from U.S. tech companies comes as tension grows between both nations. The U.S. has accused China of sponsoring cyberattacks against the American government and private companies. But China has denied the allegations.

Recently, top U.S. officials have hinted that Washington may retaliate by imposing sanctions on selected Chinese companies and firms. Experts say the forum would give American tech executives the opportunity to express their frustrations about doing business in China directly to the president. Also, President Xi will have a priceless opportunity to repair China's "anticompetitive" image and invite U.S. companies to do business in the country.

Executives from Google, Facebook, IBM, Apple, Uber and many other U.S. tech firms are expected to attend the technology forum with President Xi. Some of these companies - including Google and Facebook - are currently not operating in China due to restrictions. Experts say the meeting would provide a platform for these companies to kick off negotiations with the Chinese government over the prospects of re-entering the country.

Representatives of some of the most successful tech companies in China will be among the executives that will be present at the technology forum with President Xi. Baidu co-founder Robin Li is expected to be present at the event, as well as Alibaba chairman Jack Ma and the director of the Cyberspace Administration of China Lu Wei.

President Xi is set to also have a private dinner with Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates before leaving Seattle for Washington. Critics have expressed low expectations for the meeting between President Obama and President Xi.

TagsPresident Xi Jinping Visit U.S., Xi Jinping Bill Gates Dinner, China-US, China cyberattacks US