In his letter, Xi wrote that China will “provide a broader space for companies from all over the world, including Starbucks and other American companies, to develop in China”.
In a rare missive to a foreign business figure, according to state media Thursday, China’s President Xi Jinping has asked former Starbucks chairman Howard Schultz to help promote trade between Washington and Beijing.
Responding to an earlier message from Schultz, the CCP chief urged the multi-billionaire to “continue to play an active role in promoting China-US economic and trade cooperation”, reported the official Xinhua news agency.
In his letter, Xi wrote that China will “provide a broader space for companies from all over the world, including Starbucks and other American companies, to develop in China”.
The letter comes amid strained ties between the superpowers that have reached a nadir with bitter disputes over trade, tech, security and rights. However, it was not immediately clear why the letter was published by state media.
A ubiquitous sight in major Chinese cities, Starbucks says it has opened over 4,700 coffee shops across the country since 1999.
Xinhua said that Howard Schultz, who stepped down as chairman of the chain in 2018 but retains an honorary title at the company, had previously congratulated Xi on China’s transition into “moderately prosperous society”.
Xi and Schultz previously met at a formal reception in Seattle during the Chinese leader’s state visit to the US in 2015.
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