US president-elect Donald Trump has invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend his inauguration in Washington next month, CBS News reported on Wednesday, citing multiple sources.
The report said it was not clear whether Xi has accepted the invitation to the ceremony scheduled for January 20.
In an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press that was taped on Friday and aired on Sunday, Trump said he and Xi “had communication” as recently as last week. However, he stopped short of specifying when that was or what was discussed.
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Their last meeting in person in June 2019 occurred on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Osaka, Japan.
Trump’s threats to slap tariffs of 60 per cent or more on imports from China and frequent boasts that he has a good relationship with Xi has kept pundits guessing about whether the incoming president intends to follow through with a hard-line policy against Beijing or attempt a reset in bilateral relations.
US President Joe Biden not only kept Trump’s tariffs in place, but has also added to them throughout his tenure, targeting Chinese new energy products such as electric vehicles and solar panels to stop them from undercutting local manufacturers.
That escalation continued on Wednesday, with the office of the US trade representative announcing that import taxes for Chinese solar wafers and polysilicon, an essential component in solar panels, would double from 25 to 50 per cent. Certain tungsten products used in making electronics and semiconductors would be subject to a new 25 per cent levy.
The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for confirmation of the invitation. Trump’s transition team also did not immediately comment.
While it is common for foreign dignitaries and diplomats to attend US presidential inauguration ceremonies, heads of state are not usually involved.
On Tuesday, the Chinese leader set the tone for Beijing’s approach towards Washington during Trump’s second term in the White House.
“Tariff wars, trade wars and technology wars run counter to historical trends and economic laws, and there will be no winners,” Xi told the chiefs of several international economic institutions in Beijing.
He added that China is ready to “maintain dialogue, expand cooperation and manage differences with the US government”, while Beijing will resolutely safeguard its sovereignty, security and development interests.
This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP’s Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright © 2024 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
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