The participants arrive on Saturday, May 6, 2023, in the Auditorium of the Chi Health Center during the annual meeting of Berkshire Hathaway in Omaha, Nebraska, USA.
David Williams | Bloomberg | Getty pictures
For decades, Berkshire HathawayThe annual conference – Warren Buffett's “Woodstock for Capitalist” – has attracted foreign investors who travel to Omaha, Nebraska, from thousands from miles. This year your international trip has a new fold.
Xin Jin, a Chinese investor in Guangzhou, wanted to give his second visit to Omaha this May, but international trips in the current political climate worried him. In 2012 he stuck half of his assets in Berkshir's shares, which became one of the most profitable names in his portfolio.
“I really want to go to Omaha this year,” said Jin. “I admire Buffett and I am very touched by him.”
A consumer -oriented Chinese investor in Shanghai, who did not want to be named, but took part in the annual conference three times, also said that the enemy political environment stopped him this year to travel this year. Another Chinese shareholder found that this time fewer agencies are organized by third -party providers to Omaha. A shareholder in Jakarta, Indonesia, who visited last year, decided to stay at home and said he was concerned about “unnecessary and unfounded problems with customs”.
This year's meeting takes place after President Donald Trump started a global trade war in the early days of his second term and intensified political tensions between the USA and other nations. China in particular has issued a risk color for Chinese tourists who travel to the USA.
“What I have noticed in recent years that the demographic data of the shareholders tilted much more towards international shareholders who were there for the first time, mostly international and very young,” said David Kass, a financial professor at the University of Maryland, who once had private lunch for his students and buffet.
Berkshire's annual meeting can attract up to 40,000 people to the Cornhuser State to hear the unique opportunity to hear from Buffett, his proven successor Greg Abel and Berkshir's head of insurance Ajit Jain. The Q&A meeting is broadcast on CNBC and webcast in English and mandarin.
The 94 -year -old Buffett has long recognized the growing international representation at its annual meeting. In fact, he and his late partner Charlie Munger held special receptions for those who travel outside of North America. He finally ended the event when the number of foreign participants grew.
“Our count rose to around 800 last year, and my simple article per person lasted about 2 1⁄2 hours,” said Buffett 2009 in an annual letter. “Since we expect even more international visitors this year, we have to drop this function.
– Additional reporting by Evelyn Cheng from CNBC.