Trump's diplomatic theatre: Xi declines inauguration invite
Donald Trump invited the President of China to his inauguration, but Xi Jinping has no intention of attending in Washington, according to foreign media reports. "This is diplomatic theater, nothing more," an expert commented. Meanwhile, Trump's spokesperson claims that "world leaders are queuing up to meet with [him]."
CBS News reported on Wednesday that Donald Trump has invited many foreign dignitaries to his inauguration, scheduled for 20 January, including China's President Xi Jinping. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is also considering attending. At the same time, it was revealed that Vladimir Putin did not receive an invitation from Trump.
This caused quite a surprise across the Atlantic, as no foreign leaders have participated in a U.S. presidential inauguration ceremony since 1874.
In a conversation with CBS News, the new White House Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, confirmed that the President-elect sent out invitations, including to Xi. "This 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," she commented.
Meanwhile, as journalists from CBC News have established, the President of China has no intention of coming to Washington at Trump's invitation. The Chinese ambassador to the U.S., along with his wife, is expected to attend the president's inauguration in accordance with standard practice.
Experts believe that the presence of the Chinese leader at the U.S. president's inauguration would be an unprecedented event, considering the chilly relations that have endured between these two countries for decades.
"This is diplomatic theatre, nothing more. Other heads of state, let alone Xi Jinping, haven’t attended U.S. Presidential inaugurations," assessed Scott Kennedy, a China specialist at the Washington-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies, in a statement to Reuters.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington declined to comment. When asked whether Xi confirmed his presence, in a conversation with Fox News, Trump's spokesperson replied that she did not know. Previously, she claimed that "world leaders are lining up to meet with President Trump because they know he will soon return to power and restore peace through American strength around the globe."
