Chinese leader Xi Jinping may not have personally accepted US President-elect Donald Trump’s invitation to his inauguration, but Beijing has taken the rare step of dispatching a top official to join the swearing-in ceremony in Washington.

(250120) -- WASHINGTON, Jan. 20, 2025 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, as Chinese President Xi Jinping's special representative, meets with U.S. Vice President-elect J.D. Vance in Washington, D.C., the United States, Jan. 19, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)

Excerpt: A Chinese presidential envoy has met with Vance and Musk to hold discussions on the eve of Donald Trump’s inauguration. China’s Vice President Han Zheng met with US Vice

The vice president-elect and Chinese Vice President Han Zheng met on Sunday ahead of Trump's second inauguration.

Mr Han said US firms were welcome in China during the sit-down in Washington with Mr Musk. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Han Zheng is in Washington D.C. as one of the many foreign leaders expected to attend Trump's inauguration Monday afternoon.

Vance and Han “discussed a range of topics including fentanyl, balancing trade, and regional stability,” the transition team said

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng said on Sunday that China is ready to work with the United States to adhere to the strategic guidance of the head-of-state diplomacy and follow through on the important consensus reached between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President-elect Donald Trump,

European friends of Donald Trump have accepted invitations for a ringside seat at today's inauguration of the 47th President of the United States. View on euronews

Han Zheng, who serves as an envoy for Chinese President Xi Jinping at the inauguration, “discussed a range of topics including fentanyl, balancing trade and regional stability” with J.D. Vance, according to the Trump transition team.

President-elect Donald Trump is spending the eve of his inauguration in a series of Washington events that celebrate his return to power as he prepares to move back into the White House at a time of deep national political divisions.