AsianFin -- When Pascal Soriot flew into China to speak at this year’s Boao Forum, many expected the AstraZeneca chief to tread carefully amid intensifying U.S.-China trade tensions. With Donald Trump and Xi Jinping exchanging barbs in an escalating economic rivalry, conventional wisdom suggested Soriot would keep a low profile.

Instead, the French executive made headlines with a pointed endorsement of China’s innovation momentum. “The two large innovators in our industry today are the U.S. and China,” Soriot said on the sidelines of the forum. He added that China is poised to “emerge as really a driving force for innovation in our sector.”

Shortly after, Soriot joined 40 Western business leaders at a high-profile meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping—an event aimed at reaffirming Beijing’s ties with global corporate giants. “China is absolutely open for us,” Soriot told reporters following the meeting.

The remarks, while supportive of China, risk placing AstraZeneca at the center of geopolitical scrutiny as both Washington and Beijing grow increasingly sensitive to global corporate loyalties.

In recent months, Trump has stepped up rhetoric and pressure around outbound investments, aiming to dissuade U.S. and allied firms from directing capital toward China’s economy or technology ecosystem.