Zuckerberg sought name for daughter, Xi declined request

In 2015, Mark Zuckerberg asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to suggest a Chinese name for his unborn daughter. The request was made during a White House dinner hosted by former President Barack Obama. Zuckerberg was expecting his first child with his wife, Priscilla Chan, who later named their daughter Maxima. At this dinner, which included several tech leaders, Zuckerberg sought an honorary name from Xi. However, the request was declined. According to a new memoir by Sarah Wynn-Williams, a former Facebook executive, Xi felt the task was "too much responsibility." The memoir reveals Zuckerberg’s efforts to build ties with China. He viewed the Chinese market as a major opportunity for his company, Meta. Despite his attempts, China's strict censorship and preference for local platforms like WeChat have made it hard for Facebook to gain a foothold. Wynn-Williams noted that Zuckerberg’s goal of entering the Chinese market has been elusive. She mentioned that Facebook had even made compromises regarding user privacy to appeal to China. There were discussions about helping the government monitor online content. Additionally, she recounted a failed attempt to arrange a meeting between Zuckerberg and Xi during the 2016 APEC summit in Lima, Peru. Despite efforts to arrange proximity, the plan fell through. Wynn-Williams described seeing a large group of Chinese officials as somewhat comical, emphasizing how Xi did not engage with Zuckerberg.