💾 Archived View for gmi.noulin.net › mobileNews › 5604.gmi captured on 2023-12-28 at 18:36:07. Gemini links have been rewritten to link to archived content

View Raw

More Information

⬅️ Previous capture (2023-01-29)

➡️ Next capture (2024-05-10)

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Chinese president Xi Jinping meets US tech leaders

2015-09-24 07:53:18

Chinese President Xi Jinping has promised to strengthen protections on

intellectual property and clear obstacles to investment in China, at a meeting

with US technology leaders.

Speaking in Seattle he said: "Without reform, there will be no driving force;

without opening up, there will be no progress."

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Apple CEO Tim Cook were among those attending.

US companies are eager to tap into China's massive market of consumers.

Mr Xi addressed recent China's recent economic troubles, and said the

government was taking steps to address it.

However he said, "I believe in the long run that the fundamentals of the

Chinese economy are good."

Image copyright Getty Images

Image caption Mr Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, visited Microsoft's campus on

Wednesday accompanied by Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella (in

background)

At the scene: Rory Cellan-Jones, BBC technology correspondent

Oh to have been a fly on the wall when President Xi sat down with Apple's Tim

Cook, Amazon's Jeff Bezos, Satya Nadella of Microsoft and other US technology

leaders. We are told the conversation covered regulation and clean energy - but

surely there must have been something juicier?

The truth is that China and the tech giants both need and fear each other. The

technology firms know it is where their future profits should come from - Apple

now makes about a quarter of its revenue from China, while Amazon despite years

of investment is still struggling to make an impact. For China, demand for

American technology products is what keeps millions in manufacturing jobs.

But while both China and the US appear committed to expanding their technology

relationship, their very different views on internet freedom mean progress will

be difficult.

But at a time when demand for technology products is fragile, China still looks

like a huge opportunity for growth. That is why the tech tycoons will have

tried their best to charm their visitor.

Mr Xi stressed that reaching agreements to ensure continued robust

international trade was a top priority.

US officials have said the two counties have made progress in negotiating a new

trade agreement, but key issues remain unresolved.

Former US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson moderated a closed-door discussion

with more than 30 business leaders before Mr Xi's public remarks.

Image copyright AP

Image caption Mr Xi met with Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg on

Microsoft's campus

Representatives from Twitter, Facebook and Google were notably missing from the

event. China blocks those companies' websites.

However, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg joined Mr Bezos and Mr Xi later on

Wednesday as they toured Microsoft's corporate campus in suburban Seattle.

Mr Xi travels to Washington DC on Thursday to meet US President Barack Obama.