Low Likelihood of Attendance... Expert Calls It a "Diplomatic Play"
It has been confirmed that Donald Trump, the President-elect of the United States, invited Xi Jinping, the President of China, to his inauguration ceremony in January next year. However, the likelihood of President Xi actually attending appears to be low.
On the 12th (local time), Caroline Leavitt, appointed as the White House spokesperson for the Trump administration, confirmed the invitation during an interview with Fox News.
Leavitt stated, "This is an example of President Trump initiating open dialogue not only with our allies but also with the leaders of our adversaries and competitors," adding, "We witnessed this during President Trump's first term. Because of this, he faced much criticism, but it led to peace worldwide. He is willing to talk with anyone and will always prioritize America's interests."
When asked whether President Xi had responded to the invitation, she replied, "That will be decided later." Although she did not disclose specific individuals, she mentioned that other foreign leaders were also invited to the inauguration.
On the same day, the President-elect Trump told CNBC at the New York Stock Exchange, "We will have many conversations with China." He said, "We have a good relationship with China, but when COVID-19 was introduced, I somewhat severed that relationship. That was an excessive measure." He continued, "However, we have been talking and negotiating with President Xi and other world leaders, and overall, I think we will do very well."
It is unprecedented for the leader of China, the United States' biggest competitor, to attend a U.S. presidential inauguration. China experts assess that the possibility of President Xi actually coming to Washington is very low. Scott Kennedy, a China expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), said, "This is diplomatic theater," adding, "Not only President Xi but also other foreign leaders have not attended U.S. presidential inaugurations."
Meanwhile, on the same day, the Kremlin in Russia announced that it was not invited to President-elect Trump's inauguration. According to CBS News citing sources, Viktor Orban, the Prime Minister of Hungary, who recently met with President-elect Trump, is considering whether to attend.
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