Missing in Mar-a-Lago: Chinese Presence

（the article has been updated to make it concise and cohesive)

When Donald Trump was elected U.S. President in 2016, Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba, was one of the early visitors to Mar-a-Lago, marking a moment of apparent optimism in U.S.-China relations. Fast forward to 2024, and the scene looks very different. The U.S.-China relationship has deteriorated over the years, and the bipartisan stance on China has made attempts to warm ties much harder.

This time around, Masayoshi Son, the Japanese businessman behind SoftBank, was among the high-profile guests at Mar-a-Lago. Son committed to investing $100 billion in the U.S., particularly focusing on artificial intelligence. This announcement follows his earlier pledge to invest $50 billion during the previous administration, highlighting his ongoing commitment to U.S. ventures.

Meanwhile, the question arises: Will Chinese President Xi Jinping accept Trump's invitation to attend the inauguration on January 20th? While the Washington D.C. winter might seem cold, the event offers a unique opportunity for potential dialogue and future discussions.

Trump, who famously referred to the coronavirus as the "China virus," is not expected to significantly alter his stance on China. As a result, a programmatic approach may be necessary to break the ice and get the U.S.-China relationship back on track. The coming months will likely reveal if the frozen relationship can thaw through carefully structured engagements or if more friction lies ahead.