Chinese internet giants Baidu, Alibaba and Tencent — nicknamed the BATs — are the "gateway" to the world's second-largest economy, global investor Dan Arbess told CNBC on Tuesday.

"Regardless of what happens in trade, the best idea that I've got right now, as a stock idea, is the BATs: the Chinese equities, Baidu, Alibaba, Tencent," said Arbess, CEO of money management firm Xerion Investment and former partner at the global advisory and asset manager Perella Weinberg.