Quotes
He controls 1.4 billion people with an iron fist. I mean, he's a brilliant guy, whether you like it or not."
But ahead of his second term, Mr Trump praised Xi, telling podcaster Joe Rogan
I think it's a gimmick. It would be impossible for Xi to attend without giving the sort of sign that he's almost like a vassal,
Kerry Brown, an associate of the Asia Pacific Programme at Chatham House and director of the Lau China Institute at King's College, London, told Business Insider
It's all part of what's going to be a great, big performance next year about Trump trying to say that he's going to deliver this fantastic new deal with China. And the Chinese are well prepared for this,
said BrownXi would be attending to honor Trump's victory, I don't think that sits well with Xi's self-image and his political reputation in China as a nationalist strongman."
Thomas addedTrump's invitation reflects his desire to rebuild a rapport with President Xi, which he believes will be the decisive dynamic in shaping US-China relations during his second administration,
Wyne told BIGoing to Trump's inauguration makes Xi Jinping look like a supplicant to Trump, because this is a ceremony honoring Trump,
Neil Thomas, a fellow on Chinese politics at Asia Society Policy Institute's Center for China Analysis, told ABC NewsWe have a good relationship with China. I have a good relationship,
Trump told CNBC
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I have nothing to share at present.”
When asked at a briefing about Trump’s invitation, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning responded
Can you imagine Xi Jinping sitting outdoors in Washington, DC, in January at the feet of the podium, surrounded by hawkish members of Congress, gazing up at Donald Trump as he delivers his inaugural address?”
asked RusselWe should choose dialogue over confrontation and win-win cooperation over zero-sum games,
Xi said in the letter read aloud at a US-China Business Council gala in Washington, DC, on Wednesday
This is diplomatic theater, nothing more. Other heads of state, let alone Xi Jinping, haven’t attended US presidential inaugurations,
Scott Kennedy, a China specialist at Washington’s Center for Strategic and International Studies, told the news agency ReutersWe have a good relationship with China. I have a surprising relationship. Now, when the COVID came in, I sort of cut it off. That was a step too far,
he saidIt's not necessarily a bad thing to invite foreign leaders to attend,
Bendat said
I could see why he might like the optics,
Frantz saidThere is no such plan, at least for the time being,
said Gergely Gulyás, Orban's chief of staff.jpg)
I would just say, without doubt, it's the single most consequential bilateral relationship that the United States has in the world,
White House national security spokesperson John Kirby saidWe've been talking and discussing with President Xi some things, and others, other world leaders, and I think we're going to do very well all around,
Trump saidWe have worked really hard on this most consequential of bilateral relationships. The president met with Xi Jinping a number of times, including recently. And as you get ready to turn over things to the Trump team, we're turning over a US-China relationship that is in better shape than the one we found it in. That doesn't mean that we don't have disagreements,
Kirby said
When we get ready to turn over to the Trump team, we will make sure they are fully informed about everything President Biden has done, and he has done a lot, to get this relationship on a more stable footing and it will be up to them to determine how and to what degree they want to carry that forward,
Kirby saidIt is going to be up to President-elect Trump to decide who's going to sit with him there at that inauguration, who's going to be there,
John Kirby from the White House told reporters