An official at the Chinese embassy in Washington on Thursday called Donald Trump’s invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping to his second inauguration a “welcoming signal”, but did not say whether Xi would attend the ceremony on January 20.
Trump’s incoming press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, confirmed earlier media reports that Trump had invited Xi, but said it remained “to be determined” if Xi would attend.
Qiu Wenxing, an embassy minister, said at the Institute for China-America Studies’ annual conference in Washington that he hoped such an overture might lead to a “good start” to bilateral relations in Trump’s second term.
“If that report is real, it shows that the president-elect’s transitional team attaches great performance to the working relations between the presidents, and between the Chinese government and the transition team,” Qiu said, though he did not say whether Xi would attend.
“I think that is a welcoming signal. We’re looking forward to working … with the transition team … that is our goal, to make this relationship to have a smooth transition, and then early next year we can have a good start.”
