WASHINGTON —The state visit of President Xi Jinping and Madame Peng Liyuan had several standout moments, from a ballroom tour, media mayhem, and his-and-her thermoses.
asserted
visit → have → tour
President Trump and Melania Trump played host to the Chinese couple, welcoming them with a military review and hosting a lavish state dinner.
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Trump → play → dinner
Xi seemed to enjoy himself.
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Xi → seem → himself
“Everything is done to the highest order of perfection, and there is thought in every little detail, and it’s greatly appreciated,” he told the Trumps at tea on Friday in the Red Room of the White House.
“America is very happy about this visit, and I’m sure China is very happy also.
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China → do → visit
Great things for both countries,” Trump said.
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Trump → say → countries
The internet went crazy when eagle-eyed state visit watchers spotted two thermoses at Xi and Peng’s place settings during Thursday night’s dinner.
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watchers → go → dinner
There, mixed in with the Reagan state china and crystal wine glasses, was a black thermos for Xi and a white one for Peng.
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thermos → mix → Peng
BYOT — or Bring Your Own Thermos — is a common cultural norm in China, where drinking hot beverages is a preference.
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drinking → bring → beverages
Public fountains in the country even have a boiling water option so people can keep their thermos filled.
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people → have → thermos
It’s unclear what the Chinese first couple sipped on during the courses of fish and vegetables, but usually the flasks contain goji berries, red dates, or Chinese herbs tied to traditional Chinese medicine.
uncertain
flasks → ’ → medicine
The tradition continued on Friday when flasks were spotted inside Xi’s Hongqi limousine when the couple arrived at the White House for tea with the Trumps.
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couple → continue → Trumps
Melania’s big bow and Trump’s gloves
Clothes are said to make the person.
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Clothes → say → person
They certainly stood out in the state visit.
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They → stand → visit
Melania Trump made the unexpected choice to wear pants for the black-tie state dinner.
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Trump → make → dinner
She stunned in a white bow blouse and sleek black tuxedo-inspired pants.
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She → stun → blouse
The stylish Dolce & Gabbana pants, bow-adorned Saint Laurent cotton poplin blouse, black silk Dolce & Gabbana cummerbund and sky-high black Christian Louboutin heels took the internet by storm.
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pants → adorn → storm
In choosing pants with a subtle peony pattern, the first lady was paying tribute to the “King of Flowers,” as the peony is known in Chinese culture.
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peony → choose → culture
It symbolizes wealth, nobility, prosperity and romantic beauty.
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It → symbolize → wealth
The Chinese consider the peony the embodiment of feminine charm and perfection.
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peony → consider → charm
Meanwhile, President Trump left people scratching their heads about one of his fashion choices — black, leather gloves.
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Trump → leave → choices
He donned the handwear to greet President Xi at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday evening, despite the fact it was a balmy 60-degree night in Washington.
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it → don → Washington
The president has been spotted with bruising on his hands, which he said is from taking too much aspirin.
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he → spot → aspirin
Chinese press stampede — and Xi’s dodge of US media
Chinese media traveling with President Xi caused quite the commotion when covering the state visit.
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media → travel → visit
Several argued with White House staff and Secret Service agents over where they could stand during Xi’s arrival ceremony and military review in the Rose Garden.
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they → argue → Garden
Video of the clashes splashed across social media.
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Video → splash → media
Many tried to push American journalists out of the way, leading the US reporters to shout “hold the line” as they refused to give up their position.
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they → try → position
The tensions increased throughout the day as Chinese photographers shoved their American counterparts out of the way several times, including during the Oval Office visit of the two leaders and the arrivals for the state dinner.
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photographers → increase → dinner
There was similar behavior during Trump’s March trip to China when the American press traveling with him were pushed around and withheld from events.
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press → be → events
Xi, meanwhile, pointedly ignored questions from reporters, including one from The Post, about several topics including fentanyl and political prisoners.
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Xi → ignore → fentanyl
The Chinese leader typically doesn’t answer unscripted media questions.
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leader → answer → questions
4. White House tours — good granite, the autopen, and the presidential ballroom
Trump is happy to play host and tour guide.
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Trump → play → host
And, during Xi’s visit, Trump reveled in showing him the improvements he’s made to the White House, including his presidential walk of fame and the new helipad on the South Lawn.
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he → revel → Lawn
“He’s an expert on stone, aside from many others, and he loves good granite,” Trump told reporters after he showed Xi the massive granite landing pad, complete with the presidential seal.
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he → ’ → seal
The two men even climbed aboard Marine One to tour the presidential helicopter.
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men → climb → helicopter
Xi seemed to enjoy it and was seen smiling broadly multiple times on Thursday, as the two leaders stopped at various points around the White House for Trump to point out one of his changes.
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Trump → seem → changes
When they walked the Presidential Hall of Fame, on the outdoor colonnade, Xi was filmed laughing as Trump showed off a faux photo depicting former President Joe Biden as an autopen.
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Trump → walk → autopen
At another point, Trump pointed out to Xi a photo of them together on a wall in the West Wing and told him, “We have a lot of respect for you.
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We → point → you
We’ve had that up for a year.”
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We → have → year
But Trump saved his biggest treat for the state dinner, where he told the 134 invited guests — dressed in black tie — they could visit the ballroom, which is still under construction.
uncertain
which → save → construction
“As a special treat in honor of President Xi and Madame Peng, I’d like to invite everyone in the room to visit through that beautiful curtain in the back door,” Trump said during his toast in the East Room.
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Trump → like → Room
…and 14 more, not listed.
The Aporia
