BEIJING: As Vice-President Han Zheng and Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng watched in a corner of the Capitol rotunda while Donald Trump was sworn in, China was hoping that their presence in Washington would signal a proactive reset of the tumultuous relationship.

Chinese people on the streets of Beijing said Monday they were keeping expectations low ahead of the inauguration of Donald Trump, as his second White House stint could push China-US ties into a new era of uncertainty.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a video call hours after President Donald Trump re-entered the White House and pledged to "deepen" their partnership.

Donald Trump unexpectedly held off tariffs on China on his first day back at the White House and did not single it out as a threat, raising the prospect of a rapprochement as both sides look to gain from each other rather than rain harm on an adversary.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with counterparts from Australia, India and Japan on Tuesday, a meeting he said will stress the importance of working with allies "on the things that are important to America and Americans.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping may not have personally accepted US President-elect Donald Trump’s invitation to his inauguration, but Beijing has taken the rare step of dispatching a top official to join the swearing-in ceremony in Washington.

President Biden and his team saw China as the one nation with the intent and capability to displace American primacy — and crafted policies to defend U.S. power.

The Chinese-owned company said it would cut off its services unless the U.S. assures Apple, Google and other companies that they would not be punished for hosting and distributing TikTok.

Beijing is ready to work with Washington to promote the "steady, healthy and sustainable" growth of China-United States relations for the benefit of both countries and the world, a top Chinese envoy said after the new US administration took office on Monday.

U.S. President Donald Trump is ordering federal agencies to "investigate and remedy" persistent U.S. trade deficits, and address other countries' unfair trade practices and currency manipulation, according to a draft White House trade memo seen by Reuters that stops short of ordering immediate new tariffs.

China’s foreign and commerce ministries didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment on whether Beijing would allow the American government to own part of TikTok.