During a summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, the first ladies, Melania Trump and Peng Liyuan, engaged in cultural exchange activities in Washington.
On September 24, the two first ladies attended a welcoming event at the White House before visiting the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art in Washington, D.C., according to a report by China's state-run Xinhua News Agency on September 25. They toured the museum's 'Peacock Room,' which features Chinese blue-and-white porcelain. This space, designed by American artist James McNeill Whistler, is known for its lavish decorations in gold, blue, and green. The first ladies admired one of Whistler's notable works, 'The Princess from the Land of Porcelain,' which depicts a woman in a kimono holding a fan. Museum staff provided them with insights about the artwork and the exhibition space. Melania Trump reportedly expressed her admiration, saying, 'It's beautiful and amazing.'
Peng Liyuan also emphasized the importance of cooperation regarding Chinese cultural heritage. According to Xinhua, she praised the United States for returning several Chinese cultural artifacts in recent years and expressed hope for continued collaboration in cultural exchange and heritage protection. The museum houses approximately 46,000 artifacts and has participated in the return of cultural heritage deemed to have been acquired through looting or unethical means.
Their schedule continued with a meeting with local students. About 36 students from the Hope Chinese School in the D.C. area waved Chinese and American flags and performed songs in front of the museum. The students, aged 8 to 15, sang popular Chinese songs, including 'Song and Smile' and the folk song 'Jasmine Flower,' which is well-known as a song performed by Peng Liyuan during her singing career before marrying President Xi.
Melania Trump applauded the performance and shouted 'Bravo' after each song. Peng Liyuan joined the students in singing and interacted with them after the performance, taking photos together. She encouraged the students to continue learning Chinese and about Chinese culture, urging them to play a role in fostering U.S.-China friendship.
The fashion choices of the two first ladies also drew attention. Melania Trump wore a black tweed jacket and skirt, while Peng Liyuan donned a deep navy dress reminiscent of a traditional Chinese qipao.
This marks the first public appearance together for Melania Trump and Peng Liyuan since 2017. During Melania's visit to China in President Trump's first term, she shared tea with Peng at the Forbidden City in Beijing and visited a school together.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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