Beijing, March 23, 2025 – U.S. Republican Senator Steve Daines met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Beijing. He was accompanied by seven senior American executives.
The meeting took place following an annual business summit attended by top foreign CEOs in China’s capital.
Among those present were Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla, Cargill CEO Brian Sikes, and Boeing Global Senior Vice President Brendan Nelson.
This marks the first visit by a U.S. politician to China since President Donald Trump took office in January. Beijing is seeking high-level discussions with the new U.S. administration, aiming to negotiate a deal to avoid additional tariffs imposed by Washington.
Senator Daines, a strong Trump supporter and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was actively involved in U.S.-China trade negotiations during Trump’s first term. He has visited China multiple times and previously lived in Guangzhou and Hong Kong while working for Procter & Gamble in the 1990s.
Introducing the American executives, Daines emphasized their long-standing business presence in China, stating that these companies collectively have over 275 years of experience operating in the country.
Beijing is currently working to attract foreign investment to counter economic slowdowns and mitigate the impact of U.S. tariffs.