mission to beijing: us company bosses meet the chinese leader. can he get the investment his country so desperately needs? counting the cost of the baltimore bridge collapse, we'll hear from the us boss of nissan as he launches new models at the new york car show. hello and welcome to the programme. keep investing in china. that's the message from chinese president xi jinpeng to visitng us business leaders as he tries to breathe fresh life into the world's second biggest economy. that's despite the continuing tensions between the us and china. on tuesday china complained to the world trade organization on tuesday, china complained

to the world trade organization about what it says are unfair subsidies the us is giving to electric car—makers. and recently washington said it was investigating possible national security risks of cars made in china. these are just the latest in a series of troubles which mean trade between the world's two biggest economies fell 17% last year to $575bn. the domestic challenges facing china's econonomy have led beijing to set a target of 5% for growth this year. and so it desperately needs investment from abroad, even though that shrank 8% last year. here's a bit of what president xi told those visiting us chief executives. translation: differences will always exist, this - is because people are different, and even people from the same family are not the same. but, we should seek common ground, let small differences exist, and build more consensus. this is true between nations

as well as between family members. daniel rosen is a co—founder of rhodium group an independent economic research firm that focuses on china and a former international economic policy advisor at the white house. thank you so much forjoining us. president has got a huge economy to run. why is he meeting the us chief execs? it’s run. why is he meeting the us chief execs? �* , ., ., run. why is he meeting the us chief execs? �*, ., ., , execs? it's great to be here. the “ob of execs? it's great to be here. the job of the — execs? it's great to be here. the job of the head _ execs? it's great to be here. the job of the head of _ execs? it's great to be here. the job of the head of state - execs? it's great to be here. the job of the head of state is - execs? it's great to be here. the job of the head of state is always to make the best case to the world's most important ceos to invest in their economy. so that is what his job is as it would be for the leader of any other major economy. but right now it is particularly important because there are major doubts about his policy confidence that only president xi can really address. the doubt is whether china is prepared to stimulate its

domestic demand in the economy and reform a system that is currently producing massive overcapacity and spilling into the rest of the world. if not, these ceos cannot go back to their own home government and asked them not to take extraordinary defensive trade measures. that is really what is on the line here. i really what is on the line here. i am interested in that political bees in that, of course, these two economic giants are at loggerheads. does that make it an unappealing prospect for american business leaders to invest in china? well, ou leaders to invest in china? well, you know. _ leaders to invest in china? well, you know, these _ leaders to invest in china? well, you know, these were _ leaders to invest in china? well, you know, these were not - leaders to invest in china? well, you know, these were notjust . you know, these were notjust american ceos who are in beijing right now, there are ceos from firms around the world. it's notjust american companies who are already de—risking from over reliance on the chinese economy. in the face of, of course, all of the national security things we talk about so frequently. the really big surprise there is the economic slowdown in china's economic slowdown in china's economic growth and performance. we

knew it was going to be a taxing relationship as china got into this development. what people didn't expect was that growth was going to slow down is extraordinarily as it has. china is still at 16 or $17 trillion economy, even if it is not growing very much right now. and these firms in europe, the us, japan and elsewhere, put trillions of dollars of investment in place already. so, of course, it is the job of these ceos to make the most of that even if china is not looking great right now economic lead. {131 great right now economic lead. of course, we have got the us elections coming up. is that going to cast a chilling factor on this?— chilling factor on this? when we look at the _ chilling factor on this? when we look at the us _ chilling factor on this? when we look at the us election - chilling factor on this? when we look at the us election this - chilling factor on this? when we | look at the us election this year, in the short—term outlook, the election matters a little bit less than people would have expected. so much about the biden administration's china policy has been no less tough on china than the

previous policies that were introduced by former president trump. in the near term, everyone is being as sceptical as they can about whether china's growth can be taken at face value and the severity of these export bills that ijust mentioned a second ago. and china's place, whether it offers a credible response to these concerns that european, american officials have communicated in recent months. but the election does matter immensely for the longer term. the reason is that the biggest difference between biden and trump is that the biden administration has coordinated a correspondence to china that has got other market democracies to work together and share their concerns about where china is headed. and thatis about where china is headed. and that is what is on the lines of the

long term. that is what is on the lines of the long term-— that is what is on the lines of the lona term. . ~' . . that is what is on the lines of the lona term. ., ~' . . ., long term. thank you so much. we are out of time _ long term. thank you so much. we are out of time but — long term. thank you so much. we are out of time but i'm _ long term. thank you so much. we are out of time but i'm sure _ long term. thank you so much. we are out of time but i'm sure we _ out of time but i'm sure we will come back to this in the future. in the us, there is a warning that the collapse in the us the authorities say there is little chance that six people who are still missing from the baltimore bridge collapse will be found alive. the collapse is having widespread consequences with many companies having to rejig supply chains to keep the economy and the jobs that the port supports going. nearly 850,000 cars and light trucks passed through the port in 2023. here's what the governor has been saying in the last few hours. it's a huge economic impact for the country and that is why i think and we have seen how the entire country has rallied around maryland and around baltimore and it's because the understanding that the port of baltimore is notjust impacting maryland. we are this poor is responsible for 51 million tonnes of port cargo, that is the largest in the country. everybody who is buying cars, we are the largest port in the country that does that. that

cars, we are the largest port in the country that does that.— cars, we are the largest port in the country that does that. that was the ma or of country that does that. that was the mayor of baltimore _ country that does that. that was the mayor of baltimore there. _ let's get more on this with erin delmore who's been following this in new york. what sort of disruption are we seeing at the moment? figs what sort of disruption are we seeing at the moment? as the mayor of baltimore — seeing at the moment? as the mayor of baltimore said _ seeing at the moment? as the mayor of baltimore said it's _ seeing at the moment? as the mayor of baltimore said it's not _ seeing at the moment? as the mayor of baltimore said it's notjust - seeing at the moment? as the mayor of baltimore said it's notjust a - of baltimore said it's notjust a disruption to baltimore it is for the us in the world. calling out a few big industries and commodities and products that come through the port of baltimore, it's the number one import for cars. specifically, when you dig into that you can see that there are a lot of foreign cars coming in. short term, we know that a lot of these foreign car—makers have models on us lot already. that will help blunt the impact of immediate disruptions, but things in —— coming on like soy and other things, we are yet to see the impact. some other ports are being looked at in south carolina and georgia to read about things. thank

ou so georgia to read about things. thank you so much — georgia to read about things. thank you so much for— georgia to read about things. thank you so much forjoining _ georgia to read about things. thank you so much forjoining us. - let's stay in new york. the international auto show gets under way today — with electric cars grabbing a lot of the attention. but sales in many parts of the world are stalling — and the growth in demand we saw after the pandemic has slowed down. that's not been helped by the cost of living crisis and higher interest rates. nissan is one of is one of the big names at the show — and hasjust launched a major plan to boost sales. jeremie papin is the boss of nissan americas and joins me now from the car show. thank you so much forjoining me. i want to start off by asking you about that disaster in baltimore. what impact are you seeing on trade? first of all, my thoughts are with the families, friends, colleagues of those that have been hit by this terrible accident, the victims. for us, in terms of business, we have

been happy users of the baltimore port, we have been re—rounding our ships to other ports in the east coast and, so, we think there will be minimal, if any, coast and, so, we think there will be minimal, ifany, impact coast and, so, we think there will be minimal, if any, impact to our business in the near term. {lilia be minimal, if any, impact to our business in the near term. ok, let's talk about your— business in the near term. ok, let's talk about your own _ business in the near term. ok, let's talk about your own plans _ business in the near term. ok, let's talk about your own plans for - business in the near term. ok, let's talk about your own plans for sales, j talk about your own plans for sales, boosting sales. you are planning over the next three years, 13 new departments, you want to raise sales ljy departments, you want to raise sales by 1 departments, you want to raise sales by1 million vehicles and cut costs. that sounds like a pretty tall and difficult balancing act. how are you going to do that?— going to do that? look, there is... new models _ going to do that? look, there is... new models went _ going to do that? look, there is... new models went live, _ going to do that? look, there is... new models went live, there - going to do that? look, there is... - new models went live, there momentum in the business, as you say, 13 models that will be launched globally. in the us, we will have seven of those. we will have all types of combustion engines, hybrids, and electric vehicles. and

we will be rejuvenating our line significantly. any combustion vehicle right now will be renewed over the next few years. with that momentum of new product will be new products, refresh designs, a lot of technology coming in. so we think we are going to be in for quite some growth, as you mentioned. 1 million globally and let's say, 15 to 20% of that coming out of the usa. 50 globally and let's say, 15 to 20% of that coming out of the usa. so you are confident _ that coming out of the usa. so you are confident you _ that coming out of the usa. so you are confident you can _ that coming out of the usa. so you are confident you can hit _ that coming out of the usa. so you are confident you can hit all - that coming out of the usa. so you are confident you can hit all of - are confident you can hit all of those targets?— are confident you can hit all of those taraets? , , . ., those targets? definitely confident that we have _ those targets? definitely confident that we have the _ those targets? definitely confident that we have the resources - those targets? definitely confident that we have the resources and - those targets? definitely confident | that we have the resources and the products that can deliver those types of successes. in the volume drives the efficiency in the business and drives the economic result. �* , . ~ business and drives the economic result. �* , ., ~ ., business and drives the economic result. �*, ., ~ ., ., result. let's talk now about electric vehicles. _ result. let's talk now about electric vehicles. you - result. let's talk now about electric vehicles. you want | result. let's talk now about i electric vehicles. you want to result. let's talk now about - electric vehicles. you want to cut the cost of those by one third but

given the scale of the climate emergency, is not a bit too slow? i emergency, is not a bit too slow? i think what drives the fact that are given the option to accelerate is the fact that nissan in particular will be capable of cutting back on the cost of making those cars even more affordable than they are today. so i will say, the same dynamic in the industry. ultimately, the consumer will decide how many atvs are being sold and bought. there is are being sold and bought. there is a lot of momentum behind the growth of ev in a lot of momentum behind the growth of e ,, �* , ., ., , of ev in the us. it's going to be sh of of ev in the us. it's going to be shy of 1096 _ of ev in the us. it's going to be shy of 1096 of — of ev in the us. it's going to be shy of 1096 of sales this - of ev in the us. it's going to be shy of 1096 of sales this year. i shy of10% of sales this year. probably— shy of 10% of sales this year. probably about 40% in 2030. because, inherently, those are vehicles that have a high level of satisfaction with the buyers. for us, what matters is definitely having a good business investment and making those

goals cars —— cars available to the wider consumption group. goals cars -- cars available to the wider consumption group.- goals cars -- cars available to the wider consumption group. thank you so much for— wider consumption group. thank you so much forjoining _ wider consumption group. thank you so much forjoining us. _ in other news.... the boss of the world's second biggest clothing retailer says he expects prices to fall this year. daniel erver recently took over as ceo and is trying to increase profit margins after losing market share to rivals. he said the company's latest spring collections were selling well. the swedish company saw profits in three months to the end of febraury grow to almost $200 million. that's it from me thank you so much so much forjoining us. sport is next. goodbye.

hello from the bbc sport centre. wales head coach rob page says he belives he's the right man to lead the team to the 2026 world cup. his side suffered an agonising defeat to poland on penalties to miss out on reaching the european championships later this year. page has another two years on his contract, and has no plans to step away. absolutely, we are a team in transition, and while we are in the transition, we were one penalty get away from qualifying. so we have games injune, we have nations league in autumn, then the start of a world cup qualifying campaign, so that is my full focus, and building what we have already started and the transition which we are in at this moment in time. the ukraine manager, serhiy rebrov, says his sides victory over iceland to reach the euros was a very important one for the players and the people of ukraine against the backdrop of the ongoing war with russia. but arguably the result of the qualifiers belonged