A high‑level delegation from the U.S.–China Business Council (USCBC), headed by FedEx CEO and board chair Rajesh Subramaniam, departed for Beijing on July 27, 2025, to engage with senior Chinese officials in an effort to re‑energize corporate‑level dialogue amid intensifying U.S.–China trade tensions.
The delegation includes senior executives from Boeing and USCBC President Sean Stein. Their mission runs parallel to ongoing government‑level trade negotiations in Sweden, where China’s Vice Premier He Lifeng is meeting U.S. counterparts from July 27 through July 30.
China faces an August 12 deadline to finalize a durable trade agreement with the U.S. or face escalated tariffs. Discussions may also be extended by an additional 90 days if progress is made, potentially helping to pave the way for a summit this fall during the APEC forum in South Korea.
Within that context, the USCBC-led delegation aims to open lines of dialogue with Chinese officials ahead of final government talks, advocate for improved market access and regulatory transparency for U.S. companies, and stabilize trade relations to reduce the risk of tariff-driven disruption.
This is not the first time USCBC has organized such outreach. Similar business delegations, also led by Subramaniam, visited China in 2023 and 2024, including high-level meetings with Vice Premier He and Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Those trips focused on market barriers, policy reform, and strengthening commercial ties.
During the July 2024 visit, USCBC representatives met with officials in multiple ministries—the Commerce Ministry, Industry & IT, and the National Development & Reform Commission—and emphasized areas like aviation, healthcare, technology, and green collaboration.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi encouraged the delegation to help shape a more accurate perception of China in the U.S., promoting objective, rational discourse and seeking mutual understanding.
Rajesh Subramaniam became FedEx’s president in 2019 and its CEO on June 1, 2022, succeeding founder Fred Smith. He was born in India and holds degrees from IIT Bombay, Syracuse University, and the University of Texas at Austin. He chairs the USCBC, serves on the U.S. Chamber of Commerce China Center Advisory Board, and holds leadership roles in U.S.–India business forums. Subramaniam has emphasized FedEx’s global network advantage, describing it as having a “catbird’s seat” perspective on trade disruptions and supply chain complexity amid tariff uncertainty.
The USCBC delegation underscores mounting pressure from the U.S. private sector to stabilize bilateral trade. FedEx estimates a $170 million impact to profitability this quarter due to tariff-related disruptions and the elimination of the de minimis exemption, particularly affecting trans‑Pacific routes.
U.S. companies increasingly seek policy clarity and predictability given the threat of escalating trade measures. Subramaniam and the USCBC see business-to-business engagement as a critical complement to formal negotiations—sending a message that American firms are ready to engage, invest, and expand, provided there is a fair and transparent environment.
The Beijing delegation will meet with multiple senior Chinese officials, though specific names and locations have not been publicly confirmed. The outcome of the Sweden negotiations concluding July 30 and the USCBC’s meetings may shape whether both sides agree to extend the August 12 deadline. Positive developments could help build momentum toward a high‑level U.S.–China summit at the APEC forum later this year.
The USCBC mission led by Rajesh Subramaniam marks an escalation in private‑sector diplomacy, aimed at supporting fragile government negotiations while lobbying for conditions conducive to U.S. business operations in China.
