Xi Jinping not expected to attend Trump inauguration
Chinese President Xi Jinping is unlikely to attend the US presidential inauguration in January, despite receiving an invitation from Donald Trump, according to two sources familiar with the planning.
China’s ambassador to the US is expected to attend, and other Beijing officials may join him, the sources told CBS News, the BBC’s US partner.
CBS first reported the unusual invitation, noting that records show no foreign leaders have ever attended a US presidential inauguration.
“This is an example of President Trump fostering open dialogue with leaders from countries that are not just allies, but also our adversaries and competitors,” Trump’s spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told Fox News.
Trump has both praised Xi and criticized China. He has vowed to significantly increase tariffs on Chinese imports when he assumes office next month.
In October, Trump told podcaster Joe Rogan, “He controls 1.4 billion people with an iron fist. I mean, he’s a brilliant guy, whether you like it or not.”
Many of Trump’s cabinet picks, including Secretary of State nominee Marco Rubio and national security adviser Mike Waltz, are outspoken critics of the Chinese government.
China has sanctioned Rubio and barred him from entering the country in 2020.
Waltz has called on the US to swiftly resolve conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East to focus on the “greater threat” posed by the Chinese Communist Party.
US intelligence agencies recently reported that China was behind a hack targeting eight major US telecommunications companies, potentially exposing data on millions of Americans, according to the White House.
Since his re-election last month, Trump has met with several foreign leaders, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Argentinian President Javier Milei, and French President Emmanuel Macron, who invited Trump to Paris for the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral.
While it is common for diplomats and ambassadors to attend the presidential swearing-in, US State Department records dating back to 1874 indicate that no foreign leader has ever attended a US president’s inauguration.
Leavitt said that other foreign leaders had also been invited to the inauguration, which will be held in Washington DC on 20 January, but did not specify which ones.
The BBC has contacted Chinese officials and the Trump presidential transition team for comment.
