Chinese President Xi Jinping begins first US trip in six years

“What we’re trying to do is change the relationship for the better,” Biden told reporters at the White House shortly before departing for San Francisco, where he arrived Tuesday.

China’s most powerful leader since Mao Zedong has only made two other trips outside his country this year, to Russia and South Africa, nations where his government has less tumultuous ties. The US visit — his most high-profile act of foreign diplomacy in 2023 — poses a tougher challenge, with public sentiment toward the Communist Party hardening in recent years amid bipartisan criticism of Beijing’s trade and human rights and national security policies.

Reflecting how Xi’s arrival was dividing the nation’s Chinese communities, both welcome crowds and protesters were on the streets near the summit’s hub.

While fans outnumbered anti-Xi voices, the opposition group was at times hard to miss: A plane on Tuesday morning circled over the Moscone Center, where the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit is being held, reading: “End CCP, Free China, Free HK, Free Tibet, Free Uyghur.”

This week’s APEC summit has been designated a national special security event, as leaders from most of the forum’s 21 member economies descend on California. Metal fences separate the sidewalk and street near the summit’s hub, where uniformed officers carrying thick batons are patrolling the area.

A handful of anti-Communist Party protesters had gathered on the streets Tuesday. One Chinese woman held a placard that asked Shanghai authorities to return her “husband’s life,” without explanation, while another man held a sign that said “China has concentration camps.”

Some 1,000 people are expected to converge on the Moscone Center as Biden and Xi sit down for the first time in a year on Wednesday, according to Ray Zhang, a scientist working in biotechnology who is helping organize the protests.

The demonstrators will include people protesting China’s alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Tibet, as well as members of the Falun Gong religious group.

“We want to show the US audience the Communist Party has a track record of human rights abuse,” Zhang said. “And we want to show the audience in China there are lots of people actually against the Communist Party.”

Representative Mike Gallagher, a Wisconsin Republican who chairs the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, on Saturday held a rally with Chinese dissidents, where he claimed attendees of a dinner with business leaders being hosted for Xi were paying $40,000 to sit at the Chinese leader’s table. “Xi Jinping must look at America and see nothing but mercenaries,” he added.

The Republican wrote to the US-China Business Council and National Committee on US-China Relations demanding the organizers provide details of the guest list, funding and profits. Neither group responded to Bloomberg’s request for comment on the dinner.

Some of the biggest names in American business are scheduled to attend this week’s CEO summit at APEC, among them Citigroup Inc.’s Jane Fraser, Exxon Mobil Corp.’s Darren Woods, Microsoft Corp.’s Satya Nadella and Tesla Inc. and SpaceX’s Elon Musk. No names have been confirmed on the guest list for the Wednesday dinner, including Xi.

Beijing appeared keen to ensure that domestic audiences saw Xi receiving a warm welcome to the US. Chinese students and emigrants from across the US have been bussed to the airport to greet him, according to people briefed on the plans.

Pro-China crowds had also begun to gather outside the five-star hotel where Xi is expected to stay during his trip on Tuesday morning. A group from the American Ningde Association said they had flown from New Jersey to welcome the Asian leader. Ningde refers to the location in China where Xi worked as party chief between 1988 and 1990.

The US has issued hundreds of visas for Chinese reporters to cover the summit, according to a person involved in preparations this week, who asked not to be identified discussing a private matter. State broadcaster China Central Television said it had sent more than 180 reporters to cover the event in 68 languages.

Mobilizing the ethnic Chinese community for Xi’s reception tells domestic audiences that “their leader is well-received and popular globally,” said Chong Ja Ian, an associate professor of political science at the National University of Singapore.

“Xi would like to project an image of confidence and strength,” he added.