New York: US President Donald Trump on Thursday hosted a state dinner in the East Room of the White House in honour of Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan. Many well-known personalities from American politics, business and tech industry attended this special dinner. According to the office of First Lady Melania Trump, the dinner’s menu was based on a combination of American ingredients and Chinese influences.
Why was the dinner organised in the White House?
President Donald Trump hosted this special dinner in honor of Chinese President Xi Jinping during his visit to the US. The event took place in the East Room of the White House, which was attended by official representatives of both the countries along with business and government officials.
For the Trump administration, the event came amid talks on trade, technology and other important issues in US-China relations. This visit of Xi Jinping is being considered important from the point of view of relations between the two countries.
Which big names attended the dinner?
Information about the participation of many prominent personalities from the tech and business world in this high-profile dinner came to light. Guests included names like Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Sam Altman, Sundar Pichai, Jenson Huang and Michael Dell
Apart from these, other big businessmen and financial sector officials also took part in the dinner. At a time when many important issues regarding technology and trade are under discussion between America and China, the presence of these stalwarts made the event special.
What special menu was prepared for Xi Jinping?
The menu, prepared under the supervision of First Lady Melania Trump, had a light Chinese influence with American ingredients. Starters started with Yellow Squash Velouté, Wild Mushroom Fricassee, Crispy Pancetta and Scallion Oil.
This was followed by the main course of Sesame Crumbed Sea Bass, Braised Baby Bok Choy, Roasted Garden Eggplant and Sous Verte.
What was served for dessert?
The last course of dinner included vanilla crème, sour cherry confit and walnut frangipane. Along with this, ice cream made from honey prepared in the White House was also served.
The menu attempted to show cultural connections between American and Chinese traditions. The dinner began with a toast commemorating the historic “Toast to Peace” between Richard Nixon and Zhou Enlai in 1972
What was special about the entertainment at dinner?
Music and live performance were also arranged at the state dinner. The programme featured performances by classical tenor Christopher Macchio, as well as military musicians from the U.S. Marine Corps and Army.
Red color was given prominence in the decoration of the White House. The tables were decorated with red linens and flowers like dahlias and ranunculus, bringing a Chinese cultural touch to the American event.
