No Chinese leader has previously attended a US presidential inauguration

Trump invites Xi to his inauguration – CBS

US President-elect Donald Trump has invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend his inauguration on January 20, CBS News reported on Wednesday.

The offer was made in early November, shortly after Trump’s election victory, multiple sources told the media outlet. It remains unclear whether Xi has accepted.

In a recent NBC News interview, Trump said he “got along very well” with Xi and that they had communicated the previous week.

Trump’s team has suggested hosting other leaders at the Capitol on January 20, in addition to Xi. While ambassadors and diplomats are typically invited, State Department records since 1874 indicate that no foreign leader has ever attended a transfer-of-power ceremony.

‘No winners’: China’s Xi warns US against a trade war

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‘No winners’: China’s Xi warns US against a trade war

The apparent olive branch to China comes despite Trump’s incoming administration featuring several hawks on Beijing, including Senator Marco Rubio as secretary of state.