Trump had previously invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to his inauguration ceremony, but Xi declined. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Friday that Vice President Han Zheng will attend as a special representative for Xi.

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“We are willing to strengthen dialogue and communication with the new U.S. government, properly manage differences, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, jointly promote the stable, healthy and sustainable development of China-U.S. relations, and find a way for China and the U.S. to get along correctly,” the Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a statement announcing Han’s trip.

Han sits on the influential Politburo, which is a group of the 24 highest-ranking officials in the Chinese Communist Party. His portfolio as vice president covers environmental policy and diplomacy, as Han has regularly traveled abroad to represent Xi at international events.

Trump has invited many world leaders to the ceremony, including Argentinian President Javier Milei, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Foreign diplomats typically attend the inauguration as a courtesy, but heads of state and foreign governments aren’t usually included.

Trump has long boasted about his relationship with Xi, calling him “brilliant” and praising his leadership in China. 

“I think we will probably get along very well, I predict. But you know, it’s got to be a two-way street,” Trump said when speaking with conservative talk show host Hugh Hewitt this month. Trump additionally accused China of “ripping off” the U.S. economically.

In Trump’s first term, Trump imposed tariffs on China, prompting a series of retaliatory tariffs between the U.S. and China with each other in a trade war.

Before the election last year, Trump promised to impose tariffs of 60% or more on all Chinese goods imports. After the election, Trump said he would place an additional 10% tariff on China unless the country can stop the flow of precursor chemicals for fentanyl.