Bill Gates, Microsoft's co-founder, met with China's President Xi Jinping amidst tensions between the US and China.

President Xi referred to Gates as "the first American friend" he has met in Beijing this year.

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The meeting holds symbolic significance in fostering friendly relations between the two countries.

Gates visited China in his role as co-chairman of The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The foundation focuses on global health, education, and climate change.

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Other high-profile US business leaders, including Elon Musk and Tim Cook, have also recently visited China.

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President Xi's meeting with Gates is his first with a foreign business figure in recent years.

The Sino-US relationship was emphasized as crucial, with a focus on the importance of people-to-people connections.

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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scheduled to visit China soon, but expectations for progress are low.

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