Trump’s inauguration invites include China’s Xi Jinping

Leavitt did not say whether Xi had yet accepted the invitation to attend the inauguration, saying “to be determined” when asked by the panel of Fox hosts. China has restricted the ability of U.S. firms to import critical minerals mined in its territory like gallium and germanium that are essential for high-tech manufacturing, in response to U.S. bans on equipment used to manufacture high-powered computer chips. But on other fronts, the Biden administration has sought to ease the long-tense bilateral relationship and reduce conflict around hotspots like the South China Sea and Taiwan. China and the United States have brokered new agreements on the use of artificial intelligence in the deployment of nuclear weapons and efforts to counter fentanyl trafficking over the last few months. The invitation also comes as Trump has vowed to impose new tariffs on China and tow a tough line on Beijing.