On Thursday, Elon Musk made an appearance with his six-year-old son, X Æ A-Xii, at Beijing's Great Hall of the People amidst the summit between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, as reported by CBS News from the Chinese capital.
The young boy's presence at such a high-profile diplomatic event, typically reserved for heads of state, ministers, and top executives, attracted significant international media attention.
Musk's visit was not merely ceremonial; he engaged in a separate meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang alongside Apple's CEO, Tim Cook, and Nvidia's CEO, Jensen Huang. During this gathering, Li Qiang encouraged the trio to support stable relations between the United States and China with a clear message: “Cooperation benefits both, while confrontation harms both.”
President Xi assured that “China's door of opportunities will open wider” to American businesses, characterizing the bilateral relations as mutually advantageous.
The business delegation accompanying Trump to Beijing is considered one of the most substantial and influential to join a presidential visit. Besides Musk, Cook, and Huang, representatives from Boeing, BlackRock, Visa, Mastercard, Meta, and Goldman Sachs were present.
Musk has direct interests in China through Tesla, with its Shanghai Gigafactory being one of the most productive globally. He is also awaiting China's regulatory approval for his autonomous driving system and robotaxis.
X Æ A-Xii is Musk's first child with Canadian musician Grimes, born on May 4, 2020. Originally registered as “X Æ A-12,” the name had to be modified to comply with California's naming laws, resulting in the Roman numeral version used today.
The Trump-Xi summit in Beijing, held from May 13 to 15, marks the first visit by a sitting U.S. president to China since 2017 and the seventh face-to-face meeting between the two leaders.
The primary agenda is to extend the trade truce agreed upon in Busan, South Korea, in October 2025, which suspended tariffs of 145% from Washington and 125% from Beijing, following the escalation of that year's trade war.
Nevertheless, reports indicate that the visit has produced more symbolism than tangible progress, with both leaders still “far apart” on issues like Taiwan, Iran, and technological rivalry. Xi has cautioned Trump that mishandling the differences over Taiwan could lead to “clashes and even conflicts.”
Trump arrived in Beijing on Wednesday at 7:50 PM local time aboard Air Force One, welcomed by Chinese Vice President Han Zheng with a ceremony featuring 300 youths waving flags and a military band.
Insights on the Trump-Xi Summit and Elon Musk's Role
Why did Elon Musk attend the summit in Beijing?
Elon Musk attended the summit to participate in meetings with Chinese officials, discussing the importance of stable US-China relations and exploring business opportunities for Tesla in China.
What was the main focus of the Trump-Xi summit?
The summit primarily focused on extending the trade truce to prevent escalating tariffs, though it also addressed other contentious issues like Taiwan and technological competition.