Chinese President Xi Jinping will send a high-ranking envoy to represent the country at the inauguration ceremony of US President-elect Donald Trump, the Financial Times reported, citing sources.
The envoy is also set to hold talks with Trump.
China could send Vice President Han Zheng or Foreign Minister Wang Yi, according to the report.
One person familiar with the situation told the newspaper that some Trump advisers wanted Cai Qi, a member of the Politburo Standing Committee, to be in attendance, as he is seen as wielding much more power than Han or Wang.
Trump initially invited Xi Jinping to the ceremony, a departure from the tradition that inaugurations are usually attended by Chinese ambassadors.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington and Trump’s transition team declined to comment for the FT report.
