President Xi Jinping not showing up!
Washington, Dec 13 (EFE) –
Chinese President Xi Jinping will not attend the inauguration of Republican President-elect Donald Trump in Washington on Jan 20, according to US media reports.
“Chinese President Xi Jinping is not expected to travel to Washington next month as an inauguration guest of President-elect Donald Trump, according to two sources familiar with the planning,” US broadcaster CBS News said.
The US broadcaster had previously reported that Trump had personally invited Xi after the November election, which was confirmed by White House transition spokeswoman Karoline Leavit.
“This is an example of Trump creating an open dialogue with leaders of countries that are not just our allies, but our adversaries and our competitors too,” Leavitt said in an interview with Fox News.
China’s ambassador to the United States and his wife are expected to attend, along with other officials representing the Beijing government, according to CBS News.
The invitation to Xi, which was conveyed outside formal diplomatic channels, surprised both Beijing and US allies, CBS News said, as it comes amid tensions in US-China relations.
On Thursday, Trump denied there was a bad relationship between the two countries.
“We have a good relationship with China. I have a good relationship. We’ve been talking and discussing with President Xi some things,” Trump told CNBC.
The Kremlin said Trump had not sent an invitation to Russian leader Vladimir Putin to attend his inauguration.
“No, he has not sent it,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said at his daily press briefing.
No head of state has ever attended the inauguration of a US president, according to US State Department records. EFE
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