U.S. executives to meet China's Hu in Washington

Chinese President Hu Jintao and President Barack Obama will meet with U.S. and Chinese business leaders at the White House on Wednesday to discuss ways to expand trade and investment opportunities, with the U.S. executives seeking deals to tap into China's economic growth.

Here are the companies and executives taking part in the meeting, along with their ties to China:

GENERAL ELECTRIC CO CEO Jeff Immelt

Makes equipment ranging from jet engines to medical imaging machines. The company is counting on strong growth in China to help offset a sluggish recovery at home. In December, the company said it expected sales in China to grow in the double digits in 2011.

GE also said in November that it would invest $2 billion in China through 2012.

COCA-COLA CO CEO Muhtar Kent

The world's largest soft drink maker, it has been expanding in China and recently announced the opening of three new bottling plants in Inner Mongolia, Henan province and Guangdong province. The plants were part of the company's plan to invest $2 billion in China from 2009 to 2011.

BOEING CO CEO Jim McNerney

The world's largest aerospace and defense company forecast in November that China will need 4,330 new commercial airplanes valued at $480 billion over the next 20 years, making it the largest airplane market outside the United States.

The company also buys aviation goods and services from China and said it expected those purchases to be more than $3 billion in coming years.

MICROSOFT CORP CEO Steve Ballmer

The world's largest software maker told the Washington Post in July that better global enforcement of intellectual property laws was its top lobbying priority and CEO Steve Ballmer pegged China as the country with the weakest protections.

Microsoft and other members of the Business Software Alliance have called for a deal to boost U.S. software sales and exports to China by 50 percent.

GOLDMAN SACHS CEO Lloyd Blankfein:

The investment bank invented the acronym BRICs and has long touted the growth potential of emerging markets. But Goldman strategists have recently expressed concern about the nation's credit boom.

The firm will likely be looking for more guidance on the outlook for China's economy and details on the role Western financial firms will play in the nation's development.

DUPONT CEO Ellen Kullman

The world's No. 4 chemical company makes products ranging from Tyvek wrap for home production to Kevlar used in bulletproof vests to genetically modified seeds.

It has large biofuels and solar operations in China and is looking to use Chinese operations to supply Chinese markets, rather than to shipping those goods overseas.

DOW CHEMICAL CO CEO Andrew Liveris

The largest U.S. chemical maker has seen strength in China, helping it offset weak western economies. Like DuPont, Dow is also looking to be able to use Chinese operations to supply the market in that country.

MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS CEO Greg Brown

Sells wireless equipment for corporate customers and government agencies such as public safety services. China is seen as a key growth market for wireless. Motorola may also be looking to pave the way for future deals with companies in China.

INTEL CORP CEO Paul Otellini

The world's largest chipmaker opened its first chip plant in China last fall. China has struggled for years to build up a globally competitive semiconductor industry as it tries to move up the tech value chain. It has largely failed due to the sector's fragmented nature and the country's less-developed technology.

CARGILL INC CEO Greg Page

One of the world's largest privately held corporations, the agribusiness giant will also be participating in a ceremony in Chicago on Thursday in which a Chinese trade delegation is expected to sign agreements to buy up to 2 million tons of new-crop U.S. soybeans.

CARLYLE GROUP managing director David Rubenstein:

The private equity group still owns about 8 percent of China Pacific Insurance (Group) Co Ltd, the country's third largest insurer.

U.S. units of overseas companies meeting with Hu and Obama:

HSBC non-executive director John Thornton

Westinghouse Electric, a unit of Toshiba Corp Aris Candris, CEO

Sybase, a unit of SAP AG, John Chen CEO.