Xi Jinping unlikely to attend Trump inauguration despite invite

China's ambassador is expected to attend and other officials may join him, two people told the BBC's US partner CBS.

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China's ambassador to the US is expected to attend and other officials from Beijing may also join him, the sources told the BBC's US partner CBS News.

CBS first reported on the unusual invitation – records indicate no foreign leaders have ever attended a presidential inauguration.

"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," Trump's spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told Fox News.

Trump has at times praised Xi but has also been heavily critical of China. He has pledged to sharply increase tariffs on imported Chinese goods when he takes office next month.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgm9jvek93po

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