((AP) -- Xi made the announcement in his opening address Sunday to a two-day "Belt and Road" conference in Beijing that brought together leaders from 29 countries.
The gathering is the latest high-profile appearance for Xi that casts him as a global leader and chief advocate for free trade.
Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey also spoke at the opening ceremony.
Washington is being represented by a junior delegation led by Matt Pottinger, special assistant to the president and senior director for East Asia at the National Security Council.