During the recent state visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to the United States, a notable discrepancy emerged regarding the guest list for the official White House dinner. While prominent American billionaires were invited to attend the event in honor of President Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, a group of Chinese CEOs who had traveled to Washington specifically for the occasion were not granted entry.

According to reports, the potential inclusion of these Chinese business leaders was a subject of significant diplomatic deliberation between the two nations for several weeks. The possibility of their attendance remained under active consideration until the final hours leading up to the summit. Ultimately, however, the decision was made to exclude them from the dinner, leaving the delegation to spend the evening on the sidelines while their American counterparts participated in the formal proceedings inside the White House.

The situation highlights the complex nature of diplomatic protocol and the delicate balance of interests during high-stakes international summits. While the SCMP report notes the exclusion, it does not provide a specific official explanation from either the White House or the Chinese government regarding why the invitations were never issued or why the decision was finalized so late in the process.