BYD eyed for Xi’s Trump summit amid US tariff tensions - Bloomberg

Chinese officials are considering BYD Co. (SZSE:002594) for a possible business delegation joining Xi Jinping’s summit with Donald Trump on Sept. 24 in Washington, according to Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the matter.

Senior officials including Xi’s chief of staff, Cai Qi, are reviewing a list of Chinese business titans for the state visit. The list isn’t final and could change at the last minute, the people said.

Including BYD founder Wang Chuanfu in the top leader’s delegation would be a provocative move. The US has imposed 100% tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, effectively blocking them from the American market.

In June, the electric car behemoth was blacklisted by the Pentagon over alleged links to the People’s Liberation Army. BYD firmly denies claims it supports the Chinese military.

China’s selection criteria for the delegation includes having a potential US deal in progress, loyalty to the Communist Party and a known ability to avoid detracting attention from Xi, according to the people. Several Chinese industry chiefs being considered to accompany Xi are still awaiting US visas, the South China Morning Post reported last week.