Ren Hongbin, chairman of a national trade body known as the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), met with a high-level U.S. business delegation in Beijing on Tuesday.
Led by Rajesh Subramaniam, board chairman of the U.S.-China Business Council and CEO of FedEx, the delegation includes senior executives from companies such as Thermo Fisher Scientific, Otis Worldwide, and Apple.
The visit notably coincided with the third round of China-U.S. trade talks, which wrapped up in Stockholm, Sweden, on Tuesday.
This marks the most high-profile American business delegation to arrive in China since trade tensions between the two countries flared up in April.
"I think you are visiting China at a very critical time. I hope and believe your visit at this time will definitely promote strengthening cooperation on economy and trade," Ren said during his meeting with Subramaniam.
"I want to take this opportunity to express our deep appreciation for CCPIT's involvement and support in arranging this board trip. We know that your efforts have significantly contributed to the success of our engagements in China over many years here," Subramaniam told Ren.
Analysts note that the presence of these U.S. business leaders in China underscores the American business community's desire for stable and mutually beneficial economic and trade relations between the two nations.
Chairman of Chinese trade body meets high-level U.S. business delegation in Beijing
Lebanon's Health Ministry said Saturday that Israeli strikes during the latest round of fighting have killed 2,020 people and wounded 6,436 others since hostilities escalated.
The ministry said the toll reflects cumulative casualties recorded across multiple regions amid continued Israeli airstrikes and cross-border exchanges of fire.
On Saturday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that Israeli forces engaged in close-range firefights with Hezbollah militants, striking multiple targets and killing several militants while seizing various weapons. In the past 24 hours, the IDF targeted over 200 Hezbollah sites within Lebanon and continued to target Hezbollah rocket launchers to prevent attacks against Israel.
Additionally, the IDF's Home Front Command has tightened public safety guidelines, suspending or limiting educational activities in border communities, Upper Galilee, and Haifa Bay, while also restricting the size of gatherings in those areas.
Hezbollah, in its statement, claimed that its operations in southern Lebanon continued, attacking Israeli tanks and personnel. The group also targeted Israeli military infrastructure, soldiers, and vehicles in northern Israel.
The escalation followed renewed hostilities involving Hezbollah, which said it launched rockets from southern Lebanon toward Israel on March 2 for the first time since a ceasefire on Nov. 27, 2024. The exchange prompted Israel to expand its military campaign across Lebanon.
Lebanon has since been hit by sustained strikes in several areas, with fighting spreading beyond border regions into other parts of the country.
Iran and the United States agreed to a ceasefire on Wednesday. Israel said it would abide by the truce but argued the agreement does not apply to Lebanon. That assertion was rejected by Iran and by mediator Pakistan.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saturday that the disarmament of Hezbollah is a prerequisite for any ceasefire agreement with Lebanon.
In a video statement, he said Lebanon had approached Israel several times over the past month seeking to begin direct talks following Israeli military actions.
"I approved this, subject to two conditions: we want to achieve the disarmament of Hezbollah, and we want a real peace agreement that will last for generations," Netanyahu said.
Death toll from Israeli attacks in Lebanon reaches 2,020
