From 13 to 15 May 2026, US President Trump made a state visit to China at China's invitation. He was accompanied by executives of more than ten leading US companies, including Tesla's Elon Musk, Apple's Tim Cook, NVIDIA's Jensen Huang and Qualcomm's Cristiano Amon, spanning new energy, AI, semiconductors and aerospace. The delegation reflected the main tone of US economic policy toward China: pragmatic and commercially driven. Judging from its composition, new energy, aviation manufacturing, agricultural trade, traditional finance and mid- to low-end semiconductors are the areas where the US most wants to deepen cooperation and realize commercial benefits quickly, and where agreement is easiest to reach.
During the visit the two heads of state set the strategic direction of bilateral relations for the next three years and beyond. The talks covered four main areas:
1. Strategic, political and security issues
The Taiwan question was confirmed as the most important red line in China-US relations, with the US pledging to handle Taiwan-related issues prudently and maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. The two sides exchanged views on the Middle East, the Ukraine crisis and the Korean Peninsula and agreed to strengthen communication on international and regional affairs.
2. Core consensus on trade and economic cooperation
Both sides affirmed that China-US trade is mutually beneficial and agreed to set up a trade council and an investment council to resolve frictions through equal consultation, expand two-way trade under a reciprocal tariff-reduction framework, resolve differences on market access for agricultural products, and rein in unilateral tariffs, trade barriers and other protectionist measures to keep global supply chains stable.
3. Industry, energy and low-carbon development
The two sides exchanged views on new energy, traditional energy, advanced manufacturing and the automotive industry. The US raised concerns about China's new energy capacity and market access, while China proposed principles of open supply chains, technical compliance and fair competition. Preliminary consultations were held on rules and standards for the green transition, power batteries and intelligent connected vehicles.
4. People-to-people exchanges
Exchanges in tourism, education, health and law enforcement will expand, creating channels for industrial cooperation and people-to-people contact.
Implications for the new energy vehicle industries of both countries
China's NEV industry has a complete supply chain, scale and cost advantages, while the US has its domestic market, advanced technology and established brands. The meeting eased trade confrontation and will affect the two industries differently, but overall the opportunities outweigh the short-term risks of friction.
1. Marginal improvement in the export environment
Reining in unilateral protectionism eases, in the short term, US measures against Chinese NEVs such as high tariffs, connected-vehicle bans and investment restrictions. Although direct exports to the US account for only 1.8% of Chinese automakers' sales, easing trade relations can open nearby North American markets such as Canada and Mexico.
2. More room for technology and supply-chain cooperation
Compliant cooperation is possible in battery materials, autonomous driving algorithms, automotive chips and charging technology, and greater US investment in China could help Chinese automakers close gaps in high-end chips and core software.
3. More flexible global market strategies
With tensions lower, Chinese automakers can reduce reliance on any single market, expand further in Southeast Asia, the EU, the Middle East and Latin America, and build plants abroad to avoid trade barriers.
4. Faster industrial upgrading at home
External competition pushes Chinese automakers to invest more in R&D on battery safety, efficiency and autonomous driving, moving the industry from scale expansion to high-quality development and speeding up the exit of low-end capacity.
The practical significance of tariff relief and limited trade easing should not be overstated. Although the US pledged to remove the 91% additional tariffs, a real benefit for Chinese solar and energy storage exports to the US, the overall framework of high tariffs and technology restrictions on Chinese NEVs remains. The structural US dependence on critical battery minerals and energy storage systems is the fundamental driver of its limited compromise. The US administration may consider removing some additional tariffs or easing restrictions on Chinese cells for energy storage systems within the current legal framework.
Lithium battery equipment under the new conditions
The global market for bead mills used in lithium batteries continues to grow in 2026, and overseas battery and materials makers are actively looking for cost-effective Chinese bead mills to replace traditional high-end European and American equipment. With the new round of US-China policy and the twin drivers of NEVs and energy storage, INFOR's strategy as a leading bead mill maker is clear.
First, go abroad with the supply chain and follow leading customers' global expansion. As CATL, BYD and others open more plants worldwide, equipment makers have an important opportunity. INFOR is setting up offices in Europe and North America to follow the supply chain as a supporting supplier.
Second, compete with technology plus system solutions. Moving from exporting single machines to exporting technology, equipment and standards together is the milestone that took China's solar equipment industry up the global value chain. INFOR's complete-line solutions and innovations such as the AI voice bead mill and dry bead mill already give it differentiated advantages.
Third, diversify overseas markets to spread geopolitical risk. Besides Europe and North America, INFOR is expanding in Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia and North Africa, using a diversified customer base to hedge single-market risk, and strengthening technical cooperation with local materials makers in Europe and the US.
Changes in the global industry landscape
The meeting moves US-China NEV relations from all-out confrontation to competition with limited cooperation. The global new energy industry is likely to develop around two cores: China leading capacity, supply chains and mass markets, and the US leading advanced technology, the North American market and autonomous driving rules, with competition and convergence in global NEV technical standards and trade rules.