President-elect Donald Trump has invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to his inauguration in January, though it’s unclear if he plans to attend.
In an interview on Fox News’ “Fox and Friends” on Thursday, incoming Trump White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the invitation was extended to Xi.
“That is true, yes, and this is an example of President Trump creating an open dialogue with leaders of countries that are not just allies but our adversaries and our competitors, too,” she said.
Leavitt added, “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 interests first.”
Asked if Xi had responded to the invitation, Leavitt said, “To be determined,” adding that it is “precedent” to invite foreign dignitaries to the inauguration.
It would be unprecedented, however, if Xi actually attends. China’s U.S. embassy didn’t immediately respond to NBC News’ request for comment.
The president-elect has said he has a strong relationship with Xi and that the Chinese leader respects him. The U.S.-China relationship, on the other hand, could change during a second Trump administration as the president-elect has advocated a tougher approach toward the country than that instituted by the Biden administration.
Trump vowed, for example, to double down on tariffs on Chinese imports after starting a trade war over the issue during his first term. During the campaign, he said he would impose tariffs of 60% or more on Chinese goods, and last month he said he would impose an additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods unless Beijing does more to stop the international flow of precursor chemicals for fentanyl.
Trump’s Cabinet picks also include a number of critics of Xi’s government, including Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., for secretary of state, and Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., for national security adviser.
Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration takes place a day after the U.S.-imposed deadline for ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of TikTok, to sell the social media app or face a ban in the United States. The Justice Department on Wednesday asked a U.S. appeals court to reject an emergency motion by TikTok to temporarily block the law.
Trump had supported the ban before reversing his position earlier this year.
Trump has long touted his close relationship with Xi, whom he hosted at Mar-a-Lago in 2017. Xi congratulated Trump after his election victory last month, but it is not clear whether the two men have spoken.
Xi told President Joe Biden last month that he would work with the incoming Trump administration and that “China’s goal of a stable, healthy and sustainable China-U.S. relationship remains unchanged.”
