Microsoft’s co-founder Bill Gates is in Beijing and reports from Reuters say he might be meeting Chinese leader Xi Jinping, but Gates’ visit is sending up red flags back on home soil.
China seems to be welcoming business heads with open arms while giving bigwigs in U.S. politics the cold shoulder.
Beijing has largely declined to talk defense with Washington. The Chinese regime recently rejected a meeting between its defense minister and the Pentagon chief.
U.S. military officials have said the ball is now in Beijing’s court.
America’s top diplomat Antony Blinken is set to visit Beijing on Friday, but it’s unclear if he’ll get a meeting with Xi Jinping.
Beijing raided the China-based offices of several American consulting firms, sending chills through the Western business community.
But at the same time, Beijing appears eager to attract foreign investment as its own economy continues to struggle after ending pandemic lockdowns.
A slew of American CEOs also recently traveled to China to check the pulse of their top market. Examples include Tesla and Twitter leader Elon Musk, JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon and Starbucks’ Laxman Narasimhan.
But Beijing’s differing attitude toward U.S. business versus government has set off alarms.