US business and tourism sectors hope Trump's China visit will boost trade and flights
發佈日期: 2026-05-13 20:15
TVB News
Trade issues are likely to remain front and centre at the Xi-Trump meeting in Beijing.
A representative of the American Chamber of Commerce in China hopes the two countries can reach trade agreements that help foster a more favourable business environment.
59-year-old American entrepreneur Mike founded a content marketing company in Beijing with his wife from Henan 25 years ago.
In the 1970s when China first opened up, the country had a good relationship with the United States.
Having lived and worked in China for decades, Mike has witnessed the ups and downs of Sino-US relations over the years.
He says his company focuses on the China market, so recent tensions between Beijing and Washington have little impact on operations.
peaking in Chinese, Mike describes Trump's visit to China as the first step towards mending ties between the two countries.
According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, the share of Chinese goods in the overall import markets in the US fell from 13.4 percent in 2024 to 9 percent last year, reaching the lowest in more than 20 years.
American imports into China also recorded a dip by more than 10 percent last year.
A representative of the American Chamber of Commerce in China said he believes the Xi-Trump meeting can open doors to more economic cooperation and reduce uncertainty in the business environment.
President, American Chamber of Commerce in South China HARLEY SEYEDIN: "I think we will begin to have certainty on tariffs themselves. You know, whatever amount that the two countries will agree to will be what we will know what to do with. And certainty and predictability are the most important item to business."
He also believes the inflationary impact caused by the disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz would likely be temporary, and that Sino-US cooperation remains key to easing global energy concerns.
President, American Chamber of Commerce in South China HARLEY SEYEDIN: "I think the future is going to be very bright between US and China. And our business will as a result prosper and profit."
Meanwhile, reduced flight frequencies between China and the United States have pushed up travel costs between the two places.
Regular group tour packages from Beijing to the US set tourists back some 20 to 30,000 yuan per person.
Zou Xiaobei, the sales director of a mainland travel agency says they used to cater to around 15,000 to 20,000 tourists a year to North America, and now it's around 10,000.
They hope more direct flight routes can help trim travel costs for Chinese tourists visiting the US.
