Trump invites China's Xi to presidential inauguration next month: Report

By Servet Gunerigok

WASHINGTON (AA) - US President-elect Donald Trump has reportedly invited his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to participate in his presidential inauguration next month.

Sources revealed that Trump extended the invitation to Xi in early November, shortly after the election, but it remains unclear whether the Chinese president has accepted, CBS News reported late Wednesday.

The report said that officials are making plans for more foreign dignitaries to attend the swearing-in ceremony on Jan. 20.

According to Trump's team, there are more leaders who may attend the presidential inauguration.

"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," Trump transition spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said, according to CBS News.

The report of the invitation came days after Trump threatened to raise tariffs on Chinese goods. The US also set a Jan. 19 deadline, the day before the inauguration, for ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of TikTok, to sell the social media app or face a ban in the country.