Melania Trump and China's First Lady Peng Liyuan Engage in Cultural Diplomacy at Smithsonian Museum
Melania Trump, the U.S. First Lady, and Peng Liyuan, China's First Lady, visited the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art in Washington D.C. This outing, which occurred while President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping held private talks, marked their first public meeting in nearly a decade. The first ladies toured the Peacock Room, an ornate dining room, and observed a stone disk from ancient China, along with an oil painting by James McNeill Whistler. Children from the Hope Chinese School performed traditional Chinese folk songs for them. The event was seen as a display of 'soft power,' uniting two prominent figures known for their blend of style and diplomacy. Their interactions and fashion choices were closely scrutinized for insights into the relationship between the two nations. Peng Liyuan also expressed appreciation for the recent return of Chinese cultural relics from the U.S.
