ARTICLE · 17 DECEMBER 2024

What We're Watching Today: December 13, 2024

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Trump extends invitation to China's Xi Jinping for inauguration ceremony. President-elect Donald Trump invited Chinese President Xi Jinping and other foreign leaders to his inauguration next month.

EthiopiaEnergy and Natural Resources

Melissa B. Mahle

William Simpson

Global

Trump extends invitation to China's Xi Jinping for inauguration ceremony

President-elect Donald Trump invited Chinese President Xi Jinping and other foreign leaders to his inauguration next month, though experts doubt Xi will attend.

Our Take: Trump's invitation to Xi reflects the president-elect's tendency to mix unorthodox diplomacy with strategic posturing. Experts describe the move as diplomatic theater, unlikely to result in Xi's attendance but aimed at projecting an image of openness and engagement. Yet, as US-China relations remain fraught over trade and strategic tensions, this gesture demonstrates Trump's balancing act between symbolic overtures and contentious policy priorities.

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