Trump invites China’s Xi to his inauguration – media

US President-elect Donald Trump has extended an invitation to Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend his inauguration next month, according to multiple sources.

Trump invited Xi in early November, shortly after the election, sources said, but it was not clear whether he has accepted the invitation, News.az reports, citing CBS News.

A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately comment.

In addition to Xi, the president-elect's team has raised the possibility of hosting other leaders at the Capitol on Jan. 20. Hungary's far-right leader, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who has a warm relationship with Trump and visited him at Mar-a-Lago this week, is "still considering" whether to attend, according to a source familiar with Orbán's plans.

"World leaders are lining up to meet with President Trump because they know he will soon return to power and restore peace through American strength around the globe," Trump transition spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said.

Ambassadors and other diplomats are typically invited to inaugurations, but State Department records dating back to 1874 show that a foreign leader has never attended a transfer-of-power ceremony.

Members of Trump's inner circle remain sharp critics of Xi's government, including Sen. Marco Rubio, his pick to be secretary of state, and incoming national security adviser Mike Waltz.

News.Az