Xi Jinping's US visit could mark breakthrough in bilateral tech trade and investment: experts

Chinese president Xi Jinping's state visit next week to the United States may open new doors for trade and investment in the information technology markets of both countries, while helping narrow their differences over protectionist policies and cybersecurity.

That would serve as a strong follow-up to the breakthrough bilateral deal reached between Xi and US president Barack Obama in Beijing last November, which ultimately led to a new multilateral agreement in July to expand the range of tariff-free information technology and communications products.

Analysts predict mainland China's "Internet Plus" action plan, which was unveiled by the government in July, to become the focal point of new business opportunities for foreign technology companies in the country that Xi will discuss during his state visit.

Premier Li Keqiang first spoke of Internet Plus as a new engine for economic growth at the opening of the National People's Congress in March.

The strategy was designed to integrate key technologies including mobile internet, cloud computing, big data analytics and the so-called internet of things with advanced manufacturing to foster the development of new businesses and highly innovative industries.

"Internet Plus will see China draw up more policies that encourage major global companies, such as tech giants Microsoft and IBM, to make investments around the country's digital transformation," Forrester Research principal analyst Charlie Dai told the South China Morning Post.