APEC CEO Summit begins amid eased U.S., China tensions

From left PwC CEO Robert Moritz, MS CEO Satya Nadella, former U.S. National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, and Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff.

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit in San Francisco is set to host chief executives from major U.S. companies, including Exxon Mobil Corp, Visa Inc., Qualcomm, Pfizer Inc., and Microsoft Corp. Central to the agenda is the U.S.-China summit on Thursday, with the focus on whether the meeting could signal a potential return of U.S. companies to China. Chinese President Xi Jinping is also hosting a dinner for U.S. business leaders to promote Chinese investment.

The two-day CEO Summit, which runs until Friday, will feature notable speakers addressing key topics. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla will speak on “Healing the Epidemic of Exclusion,” while Microsoft CEO Satya Narayana Nadella will discuss “Ushering in a New Era of Artificial Intelligence (AI).” Other CEOs, such as Exxon Mobil’s Darren Woods and Alphabet Inc.’s Sundar Pichai, will address climate change and innovation respectively. The event will also include discussions on AI regulatory developments featuring Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff.

Key attendees include company CEOs, as well as figures like Zhong Baoshen of Chinese solar company Longi Green Energy Technology Co., Melanie Perkins of Australian startup Canva, and Robert Moritz of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). Concerns about alleged Chinese government-funded companies dumping solar panels in the United States will also be discussed at the summit.

Heads of state, including U.S. President Joe Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, alongside leaders from Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Chile, and Indonesia, are expected to engage with business leaders. Notable figures from academia and politics, such as former U.S. National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, will be present.

While the summit will address climate change, economic resilience, and innovation, the primary focus will be on reopening the Chinese market. A successful U.S.-China summit could potentially ease tensions, encouraging U.S. companies to resume investments in China.