China's Vice President Han Zheng will attend the inauguration ceremony of Donald Trump as he assumes the U.S. presidency for a second term on January 20. According to China's state news agency, as reported by Reuters, this marks a rare instance of a senior Chinese leader participating in a U.S. presidential inauguration.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry confirmed the news three days before the event, noting that President Xi Jinping had been invited to the ceremony but would not attend. Instead, Vice President Han Zheng will represent China at the event in Washington. This follows Trump’s invitation to Xi Jinping in November after securing re-election.

China has expressed readiness to enhance dialogue with the new U.S. administration. State broadcaster CCTV stated, "We are committed to expanding dialogue and mutual cooperation with the new U.S. government. China seeks to work together for the stable and sustainable development of China-U.S. relations based on mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and collaboration." The report further emphasized that China is prepared to find a constructive path forward for the two nations in this new era.