Chinese Premier Xi likely to invite Joe Biden to Winter Olympics: Report

Amid reports of US-China virtual meet, Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to extend a personal invitation to US President Joe Biden to attend the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics in February, CNBC reported, citing two people familiar.

CNBC reported that the virtual meeting between the two countries' leaders is expected to take place next week, during which China's president will likely invite Biden.

Meanwhile, CNBC reported that the White House and National Security Council declined to comment on how the president would respond to such an invitation. Karine Jean-Pierre, White House principal deputy press secretary, previously said staff were working out details of the summit, which was focused on managing the countries' competition, not on "deliverables."

The business network noted that it could set up Biden in an awkward position where he either faces the risk of accepting the invitation amid calls to protest the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics or reject the Chinese government's invitation.

The report of a possible invitation comes as human rights groups have called on athletes, national Olympic committees and governments to boycott the upcoming Winter Olympics in February over China's human rights violations, including against the Uyghur ethnic minority, The Hill reported.