US VP-elect Vance meets with Chinese counterpart ahead of inauguration By Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Vice President-elect JD Vance met Chinese Vice President Han Zheng on Sunday, a day before he and President-elect Donald Trump are inaugurated.

Vance and Hahn discussed a range of topics, including fentanyl, balancing trade and regional stability, the Trump-Vance transition team said in a statement.

Trump invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend the inauguration after winning last year’s presidential election. Han sent Xi instead.

Vance’s meeting with Han followed a recent phone call between Trump and Xi, during which the two leaders discussed issues including TikTok, trade and Taiwan.

It was the first known phone conversation between the pair since Trump was elected in November.

The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday that Trump has told advisers he wants to travel to China after taking office.

If the trip goes ahead, it will be his second visit to China as president. Trump went to Beijing during his 2017 tour of Asia, where he visited a number of other countries.