Xi Jinping, the President of China writes a letter to former Starbucks chairman, Howard Schultz, despite strained US-China relations. Jinping asked him to help promote trade between two nations.
Jinping urged Schultz to "continue to play an active role in promoting China-US economic and trade cooperation," the official Xinhua agency said.
In a letter writetn to Schultz, he said, "(China will) provide a broader space for companies from all over the world including Starbucks and other American companies, to develop in China."
Starbucks is reported to have opened over 4,700 coffee shops across China since 1999. Schultz had previously congratulated Xi on China's transition into a 'moderately prosperous society,' the Xinua agency noted.
Such a letter has at a time when US-China relations are at an all time low with conflict of interests in trade and tech deals. Wang Yi, top diplomat of China has called for both sides to 'restart the dialogue' and 'rebuild mutual trust.'
The President and former chairman previously met during the Chinese leader's state visit at Seattle in 2015.