Chinese President Xi Jinping will not attend the inauguration ceremony of the elected U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington, despite being invited. This was reported by CBS News, as conveyed by UNN.
Details
It is noted that the Chinese ambassador to the U.S., Cui Tiankai, and his wife will be present at the event. However, it is possible that other officials from Beijing may join the ambassador, but Xi Jinping himself will not attend.
When asked by journalists whether Xi Jinping had responded to the invitation, new White House Press Secretary Carolyn Levitt stated that she did not know but confirmed that other world leaders had received invitations as well.
According to CBS News, Xi's invitation was delivered outside official diplomatic channels. This caught both Beijing and U.S. allies off guard. Chinese officials, accustomed to strict protocols and acutely aware of the power dynamics in U.S.-China relations, were surprised by Donald Trump's intentions.
Recall that
Donald Trump invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to the inauguration ceremony on January 20. According to the State Department, foreign leaders have never attended the U.S. power transition ceremony before.