Chinese President Xi Jinping has reportedly turned down Donald Trump’s invitation to his inauguration in January.
The President-elect had invited the Chinese leader despite growing tensions between Beijing and Washington and the threat of a trade war between the two countries.
But the Chinese ambassador to the US is expected to attend, while President Xi stays at home, CBS News reports.
Mr Trump’s spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told Fox News that the President-elect’s invitation is “an example of President Trump creating an open dialogue with leaders of countries that are not just allies but our adversaries and our competitors too.”
Since the start of his first term in office, Mr Trump has been critical of China.
Mr Trump has also vowed to sharply increase tariffs on China when he returns to the White House.
But ahead of his second term, Mr Trump praised Xi, telling podcaster Joe Rogan: “He controls 1.4 billion people with an iron fist. I mean, he’s a brilliant guy, whether you like it or not.”
Meanwhile, two of Mr Trump’s cabinet picks – Secretary of State nominee Marco Rubio and national security adviser nominee Mike Waltz – are big critics of China.
Mr Rubio was even sanctioned by China in 2020.
Earlier this week, President Xi warned Mr Trump against starting a trade war.
He said: “Tariff wars, trade wars, and technology wars go against the historical trend and economic laws, and there will be no winners.
“Building ‘small courtyards with high walls’ and ‘decoupling and breaking chains’ will hurt others and not benefit oneself. China has always believed that only when China is good can the world be good. Only when the world is good can China be better.”
