President Donald Trump is packing his bags for Beijing to discuss trade with President Xi Jinping, and he is bringing a large group of executives along for the ride. The upcoming trip runs from May 13 to May 15 and marks the first time a sitting president has visited the country in nine years.
Tim Cook will be on the flight representing Apple. He joins a packed roster of fifteen other corporate leaders who will sit at the table to talk business.
The president selected top corporate leaders for the upcoming meetings
This trip is largely a strategic move for the tech giant. Apple has a lot on the line with overseas manufacturing and global sales. Skipping these kinds of events has caused headaches in the past.
When Cook missed a similar meeting in May 2025, it resulted in a special tariff aimed specifically at iPhones. His presence this time ensures the company can protect its interests and keep its supply chain stable.
Since Cook plans to step down from his role on September 1, he is expected to make more public appearances like this over the coming months. He will travel alongside Tesla and SpaceX boss Elon Musk, who is also expected to join the roster.
The rest of the guest list includes people from finance, aviation, and tech. Here is the full group making the trip:
- Larry Fink from BlackRock
- Stephen Schwarzman from Blackstone
- Kelly Ortberg from Boeing
- Brian Sikes from Cargill
- Jane Fraser from Citi
- Jim Anderson from Coherent
- Larry Culp from GE Aerospace
- David Solomon from Goldman Sachs
- Jacob Thaysen from Illumina
- Michael Miebach from Mastercard
- Dina Powell McCormick from Meta
- Sanjay Mehrotra from Micron
- Cristiano Amon from Qualcomm
- Ryan McInerney from Visa
This face-to-face meeting gives every involved business a direct channel to voice its concerns. The outcome of the three-day visit will likely shape future trade rules and give the industry a clearer picture of what to expect next.
