Chinese language President Xi Jinping is seen on Nov. 20. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has invited Xi to subsequent month’s inauguration in Washington, D.C.
Evaristo Sa/AFP through Getty Pictures
cover caption
toggle caption
Evaristo Sa/AFP through Getty Pictures
Chinese language chief Xi Jinping has been invited to attend President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration subsequent month.
Karoline Leavitt, the incoming White Home press secretary, informed Fox Information on Thursday that the inaugural committee had prolonged an invitation to Xi and different overseas leaders, however she didn’t provide particulars of who else was invited past the Chinese language president. CBS Information was the first to report on the invitations.
“That is an instance of President Trump creating an open dialogue with leaders of nations that aren’t simply allies however our adversaries and our rivals too,” Leavitt stated on Fox.
She added that it is “to be decided” whether or not Xi accepts the invitation.
Leavitt described inviting overseas dignitaries as “precedent.” However an invite to a frontrunner like Xi isn’t the norm, in keeping with Allan Lichtman, a professor of politics at American College.
“It’s precedent to ask some dignitaries like ambassadors, however not overseas heads of state, definitely not a head of state who isn’t an ally,” Lichtman stated in an e mail to NPR.
Trump has taken a tough line in opposition to China. Although throughout his first time period, he usually touted a robust relationship with Xi, and has stated they’d “nice chemistry.”
However the first Trump administration imposed tariffs on some merchandise from China, and Trump has just lately threatened additional tariffs in his second time period.
In a submit final month on his social media platform Reality Social, Trump threatened a 10% tariff on items coming into the U.S. from China due to the quantity of fentanyl and different medicine getting into the U.S. from there. It isn’t but clear if the tariff can be actualized.
