Soon after Air force One touched down in Beijing on Wednesday, the Chinese were ready to please their guests from the White House. The officialdom in Beijing had already informed the media that something special was on the way. They had said that “state-visit plus” was in the offing, where formal meetings would be interspersed with spaces where the two leaders could spend quality time to work out their already famed “personal chemistry”. There was a background to the welcome. U.S. President Donald Trump and his wife Melania had rolled out the red carpet when Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, an accomplished opera singer, had visited Mar-a-Lago, Mr. Trump’s personal estate in Florida. It was here, in April, that China’s first couple met three generations of America’s first family.
Among his family members, Mr. Trump’s daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner are said to have strong business ties with China. Mr. Trump’s granddaughter, the six- year-old Arabella Kushner, had then recited poetry in Mandarin. So, when the Trumps arrived in Beijing, Mr. Xi and his wife were ready to return the favour. In accordance with the script, Yang Jiechi, a seasoned diplomat, was there to receive the Trumps at the tarmac and take them to St. Regis hotel. The elegant property, in the heart of the Beijing’s diplomatic area, is not far from China’s political heartland. The famous Tiananmen Square, the national museum and the Great Hall of the People are a short distance away. So is the Forbidden City, the home of China’s imperial royalty, where Mr. Xi and Ms. Peng awaited the arrival of their guests.
China’s first couple escorted Mr. Trump inside the Forbidden City — a vast complex of elegant buildings, with large open spaces in between. The quartet first entered the Baoyun Building, close to the west gate of the Forbidden City. Built in 1915, it is the only Western-style compound in the Imperial Palace. The structure was used for storing numerous relics, imparting it the name of ‘Baoyun’, which means ‘containing treasure’. Currently, the building is mainly used for exhibitions. But some of its areas are set aside for cultural research and academic exchanges. It was here that the foursome had their afternoon tea.
The Trumps also visited the three famous halls: The Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of Central Harmony and the Hall of Preserved Harmony. The three occupy the centre of the Forbidden City. It was in the Hall of Supreme Harmony that inaugural ceremonies for emperors were held. The Hall of Central Harmony is smaller, designed as a place where emperors could rest during ceremonies. The Hall of Preserved Harmony was the place where final imperial examinations were held.
Business deals
While transiting into buildings, the leaders indulged in a free-flowing conversation. A video clip posted by a state broadcaster shows Mr. Trump asking Mr. Xi whether China has a 5,000-year-old history. Mr. Xi nods and says: “China has a recorded history of over 3,000 years.” Mr. Trump responds: “The oldest culture they say is Egypt, 8,000 years.” The Chinese President agrees.
Mr. Xi also says the Chinese, with their black hair and yellow skin, have descended from the dragons — a remark that evokes hearty laughter among the quartet. The charm offensive of the Forbidden City seemed to have worked well on the visiting President. Commercial deals of over $253 billion were signed. A very special relationship with Mr. Xi seemed to have been established, which is likely to lubricate ties between the world’s two largest economies.
Atul Aneja works for The Hindu and is based in Beijing
