Apple executive chairman Tim Cook is expected to attend a White House state dinner for Chinese President Xi Jinping next week, according to Bloomberg. The event will take place during Xi’s visit to Washington and is expected to include several prominent technology executives.

U.S. President Donald Trump invited Cook, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, among others, to the dinner. Cook’s expected attendance adds another high-profile technology representative to a gathering focused on one of Apple’s most important international relationships.

Cook’s new role at Apple

Cook became Apple’s executive chairman on September 1 after stepping down as the company’s chief executive. John Ternus took over as CEO. As part of his new position, Cook is expected to engage with policymakers around the world.

That responsibility could give Cook a continued presence at major diplomatic and political events, even after leaving Apple’s top operational role. His participation in the dinner would also reflect the importance of U.S.-China relations to the technology industry.

Cook has attended previous dinners with Xi

This would not be Cook’s first state dinner involving Xi. Earlier this year, Cook attended a dinner hosted by Xi for Trump in Beijing.

Cook also attended a state dinner hosted by then-President Barack Obama in 2015, where he was seated next to Xi. His recurring presence at events involving the two leaders has made him a familiar figure in high-level U.S.-China diplomacy.

Why the dinner matters for technology companies

Technology companies operate across markets shaped by government policy, trade relationships and diplomatic ties. Apple has a significant connection to China, making senior-level engagement with policymakers relevant even as Cook transitions away from running the company day to day.

Bloomberg’s report describes Cook’s attendance as expected rather than confirmed. The dinner is scheduled for next week, when Xi is due to visit Washington. Additional guests may include other business and technology leaders invited by the White House.