President-elect Donald Trump’s invitation to Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend his inauguration on January 20, 2025, has sent ripples through the international political landscape. The invitation, confirmed by CBS News citing multiple sources, was reportedly extended in early November, shortly after the US presidential election results were announced. The potential for President Xi’s attendance marks a significant, and potentially unprecedented, diplomatic event. Never before has a leader of China, a major geopolitical rival of the United States, attended a US presidential inauguration.
The last in-person meeting between Trump and Xi took place in June 2019 at the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan. While the Chinese embassy in Washington has yet to officially comment on the invitation, the mere possibility of Xi’s presence has ignited considerable speculation. Adding to the intrigue, President-elect Trump himself recently confirmed maintaining communication with President Xi in an interview with NBC News, stating that they have “got along very well” and had a conversation as recently as that week, although the specifics of their discussion remain undisclosed.
This invitation occurs against a backdrop of escalating tensions between the US and China. Trump’s incoming administration includes several known “China hawks,” such as Senator Marco Rubio as the appointed Secretary of State. Furthermore, Trump has maintained his tough stance on trade, threatening additional tariffs on Chinese goods unless Beijing takes stronger action against fentanyl trafficking. This threat has prompted warnings from Chinese state media of a potentially destructive tariff war between the world’s two largest economies. Trump’s campaign trail rhetoric included threats of tariffs exceeding 60 percent on Chinese goods. Despite these tensions, a recent letter from President Xi to a US-China Business Council gala, read by Chinese Ambassador Xie Feng, expressed Beijing’s willingness to maintain communication with the US, emphasizing the need for “dialogue over confrontation and win-win cooperation over zero-sum games.” Ambassador Xie further stressed the importance of avoiding decoupling supply chains.
The upcoming inauguration promises a significant gathering of world leaders at the US Capitol. Trump’s transition spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, asserted that “World leaders are lining up to meet with President Trump because they know he will soon return to power and restore peace through American strength around the globe.” The invitation to President Xi, regardless of his ultimate decision, underscores the complex and evolving nature of the US-China relationship, placing this inauguration firmly in the spotlight of global politics. The world awaits President Xi’s response, as the potential for his attendance promises a moment of unprecedented diplomatic significance.
