Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is scheduled to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping this Friday during his trip to China, according to insiders knowledgeable about the situation. This will be Xi’s first known meeting with a foreign private entrepreneur recently.
About the Meeting
The exact nature and agenda of the discussion are not yet disclosed. Gates announced his arrival in Beijing, his first since 2019, stating he planned to engage with associates collaborating with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on global health and development issues. Requests for comments to the foundation and China’s State Council Information Office, which manages media inquiries for the Chinese government, have yet to be answered.
Gates’ Philanthropic Endeavors and Previous Engagements with Xi
Gates resigned from his position on the Microsoft board in 2020 to concentrate more on his philanthropic pursuits, particularly in global health, education, and climate change. His full-time executive role at Microsoft ended in 2008.
Xi and Gates last met in 2015 at the Boao Forum in Hainan province. In early 2020, Xi sent a letter to Gates and his foundation, expressing gratitude for their pledge to support China’s fight against COVID-19 with a donation of $5 million.
Significance of the Meeting
Xi’s meeting with Gates breaks a long-standing pause in his meetings with foreign private entrepreneurs and business leaders. Xi stopped international travel nearly three years ago due to the pandemic. While China reopened its borders earlier this year, most foreign CEOs visiting the country have primarily met with government ministers.
Despite the meetings, the overseas business community’s sentiment towards China is cautious due to escalating Sino-U.S. tensions and Xi’s heightened emphasis on national security.
Gates’ visit comes just before U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s much-anticipated visit to China between June 18-19, which aims to steady relations between the world’s two largest economies and strategic competitors.
