Continuing with his maverick diplomacy, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has invited China's President Xi Jinping to his inauguration next month for "open dialogue" with adversaries, his spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said on Thursday.
The invitation to the leader of China which has been his target during the campaign and after is in keeping with the unconventional diplomacy that Trump practiced in his first term reaching out to North Korea's dictator Kim Jong Un.
Without specifying Xi, on the invitations that are being sent out, Trump said, "Some people said, 'Wow, that's a little risky, isn't it'? And I said, 'Maybe it is. We'll see. We'll see what happens'. But we like to take little chances".
In an interview with Fox News, Leavitt said, "This is an example of President Trump creating an open dialogue with leaders of countries that are not just our allies but our adversaries and our competitors too."
She said, "He did this in his first term and he received so much criticism for it, but that led to peace in the world. He is willing to talk to anyone. He will always put America's interest first."
Beijing had not reacted to the invitation as of Thursday night.
Throughout his campaign for presidentship and after his election, Trump had criticised China for its predatory trade practices, and its role in the narcotics network that is behind the deaths of tens of thousands of Americans.
He has threatened to increase tariffs on China’s imports if it did not end the export of materials used to make synthetic narcotics.
He has also complained about China continuing to have "developing country" status at the World Trade Organization giving it favourable export status.
Trump has named David Perdue as his Beijing Ambassador, who is considered to be a hawk on China.
Earlier, David Perdue, warned in a newspaper article, "Americans first have to realise the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) actually is at war with us."
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