Chinese President Xi Jinping is unlikely to travel to Washington for the inauguration of newly elected President Donald Trump in January 2025.
This was reported to CBS News by two informed sources. According to them, Xi Jinping is not expected to attend the inauguration in Washington next month as a guest.
It is anticipated that the Chinese Ambassador to the United States and his wife will be present at the event on January 20, which is standard practice. The sources also mentioned that other officials from Beijing might join them.
CBS News learned that officials responsible for the inauguration have assigned staff to ensure adherence to diplomatic protocol during the ceremonies.
Journalists noted that when asked on the morning of Thursday, December 12, whether the Chinese leader had responded to the invitation, incoming White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt told Fox News she was unaware. However, she confirmed that invitations had been sent to other world leaders.
Earlier, CBS News reported that Trump personally invited Xi to the swearing-in ceremony shortly after Election Day.
It is worth noting that French President Emmanuel Macron was the first world leader to host Trump abroad following his victory in the 2024 elections. This occurred at the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was also present.
