Tariffs and distrust: Why Xi Jinping may skip Trump’s inauguration

Chinese President Xi Jinping is unlikely to attend the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump on January 20 despite an initial invitation from Trump’s team shortly after the Election Day. Unprecedented invitation amid diplomatic strain President-elect Trump’s team invited Chinese President Xi to attend the inauguration, but the Chinese government has not confirmed whether he will come. According to a South China Morning Post report, Trump’s controversial statements during his campaign, including his call for Taiwan to pay the US for its defence, have raised alarms in Beijing. Trecherous diplomatic terrain While Trump’s invitation was seen by some as a gesture of goodwill, the reality is that the US-China relationship remains fraught with issues that will likely overshadow any attempts at diplomatic rapprochement.