In a historic move, China will send one of its highest-ranking officials to Donald Trump’s inauguration on Monday, Jan. 20. Vice President Han Zheng will attend as a special representative for President Xi Jinping, marking the first time China has sent such a senior Communist Party official to a U.S. presidential inauguration.
The confirmation that China will be represented at the inaugural ceremony comes as President-elect Trump himself confirmed a phone call with China’s President Xi Jinping on Friday, Jan. 17.
Trump posted to Truth Social, stating, “I just spoke to Chairman Xi Jinping of China. The call was a very good one for both China and the U.S.A. It is my expectation that we will solve many problems together, and starting immediately. We discussed balancing Trade, Fentanyl, TikTok, and many other subjects. President Xi and I will do everything possible to make the World more peaceful and safe!”
President Xi Jinping echoed Trump’s sentiments about the call, saying that both leaders expressed “hope for greater progress in U.S.-China relations,” according to Reuters.
While Trump had initially invited Xi to attend his inauguration, the Chinese Foreign Ministry confirmed in a media statement that Vice President Han Zheng would represent China at the event.
The statement read, “We stand ready to work with the new U.S. government to enhance dialogue and communication … and find the right way for the two countries to get along with each other.”
During Trump’s first term in office, he traveled to China and was greeted by Xi Jinping, who provided Trump with a rare tour of the Forbidden City. Xi also visited Mar-a-Lago in 2017 for a meeting with Trump, which remains his last visit to the United States.
