While many believe Chinese President Xi Jinping is unlikely to attend Donald Trump's inauguration, former SCMP editor-in-chief Wang Xiangwei argues there are compelling reasons for him to accept. Drawing parallels to historical events like the Hongmen Banquet and citing examples of Mao Zedong and Richard Nixon, Xiangwei suggests that Xi could find inspiration and courage in attending this unusual diplomatic event.
While much has been written on why Chinese President Xi Jinping is unlikely to accept Donald Trump ’s invitation to attend his Jan 20 inauguration, there are compelling reasons for him to do so, says former SCMP editor-in-chief Wang Xiangwei.
From the perspective of some Chinese analysts, Trump’s unusual invite reminds them of a legendary event that took place in 206 BC, widely known as the Hongmen Banquet. This event is immortalised in Chinese history, fiction and popular culture. It involved a power struggle between two rival generals, Xiang Yu and Liu Bang, who separately led rebel forces against the Qin Dynasty.
It is within this context that some Chinese analysts believe Xi should not attend Trump’s inauguration, as such a visit would see him paying respects to Trump and strengthening his authority, potentially putting China’s top leader in a weaker position. Under the auspices of the US and encouraged by the then Soviet Union, Mao flew to Chongqing for 43 days of talks, known as the Chongqing Negotiations, which led to a peace pact known as the Double Tenth Agreement. Although the two long-time enemies did not honour the agreement and the civil war resumed, ending in Communist victory and the founding of the People’s Republic in 1949, Mao conveyed an image of a reasonable man seeking peace in the eyes of the international community.
However, his sweeping statement crystallises the most critical issue to ensure world peace: Both Beijing and Washington should revisit a G2 approach to their relationship, in which they can develop a competitive and cooperative relationship to address bilateral problems and tackle global challenges.
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