Donald Trump invites China’s Xi Jinping to his inauguration
West Palm Beach: President-elect Donald Trump has invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend his inauguration next month — extending a diplomatic olive branch even as Trump threatens to levy massive tariffs on Chinese goods.
Trump’s incoming press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, confirmed on Thursday that Trump invited Xi, but said it was “to be determined” if the leader of the United States’ most significant economic and military competitor would attend.
“This is an example of President Trump creating an open dialogue with leaders of countries that are not just our allies, but our adversaries and our competitors too,” Leavitt said in an appearance on Fox News’ programme “Fox & Friends”.
“We saw this in his first term. He got a lot of criticism for it, but it led to peace around this world. He is willing to talk to anyone and he will always put America’s interest first.”
CBS News first reported the invitation to Xi.
Asked at a Chinese Foreign Ministry briefing on Thursday about Trump’s invitation, spokesperson Mao Ning responded: “I have nothing to share at present.”
Leavitt said other foreign leaders have also been invited, but did not provide any details.
The move by Trump to invite a leader of an adversarial nation to the American moment that is Inauguration Day is unorthodox.
But it also squares with his belief that foreign policy — much like a business negotiation — should be carried out with carrots and sticks to get the United States’ opponents to operate closer to his administration’s preferred terms.
Jim Bendat, a historian and author of “Democracy’s Big Day:
The Inauguration of Our President,” said he was not aware of a previous US inauguration attended by foreign head of state.
“It’s not necessarily a bad thing to invite foreign leaders to attend,” Bendat said. “But it sure would make more sense to invite an ally before an adversary.”
Trump on Thursday during an appearance at the New York Stock Exchange, where he was ringing the opening bell to open
the market, said he’s been “thinking about inviting certain people to the inauguration” without referring to any specific individuals.
