Ayobamiji Komolafe 
The President of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping has reportedly declined an invitation to attend the United States (US) President-elect, Donald Trump’s second inauguration slated for January 20, 2025.
Trump’s transition spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt made this known while speaking during an appearance on Fox & Friends interview on Saturday.
The move, characterized by Trump as a “Little risky” during his remarks at the New York Stock Exchange, aligns with his unconventional approach to diplomacy.
“Some people said, ‘Wow, that’s a little risky, isn’t it?’ And I said, ‘Maybe it is. We’ll see. But we like to take little chances,’” Trump remarked.
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Despite the gesture, experts suggest that Xi’s absence reflects strained U.S.-China relations.
According to Lily McElwee, deputy director at the Freeman Chair in China Studies, Trump’s invitation was a symbolic attempt to adjust the tone of bilateral ties without compromising U.S. interests.
No foreign head of state has ever attended a U.S. presidential inauguration, per State Department records, making this invitation a notable deviation from tradition.
The backdrop of this diplomatic overture includes heightened trade tensions.
Last month, Trump proposed an additional 10% tariff on Chinese imports, citing concerns over trade imbalances and illicit drug trafficking.
In response, a Chinese embassy spokesperson tweeted, “China-US economic and trade cooperation is mutually beneficial in nature. No one will win a trade war or a tariff war.”
Economic experts have cautioned against the potential fallout of Trump’s trade policies, warning of inflationary pressures and destabilizing effects.
A group of Nobel Prize laureates previously issued a letter criticizing Trump’s economic agenda, emphasizing its risks to global stability.
Xi’s decision to skip the inauguration reflects the challenges in U.S.-China relations as Trump prepares for his second term amidst a turbulent geopolitical climate.
