China praises Ms. Peng Liyuan's visit to the US, calling it a 'symbol of soft power'

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Lee Bong-seok = China praised the achievements of Chinese President Xi Jinping's wife Peng Liyuan's visit to the United States, calling it a 'symbol of soft power.'

According to Chinese media outlets such as Xinhua News Agency on the 27th, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who accompanied President Xi's visit to the United States, commented on Ms. Peng's activities during her visit to the United States, saying, "The first lady's gentle and friendly diplomacy infused soft power into this visit."

Ms. Feng, who accompanied President Xi on his visit to the United States, visited the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art in Washington, D.C. on the 24th at the invitation of First Lady Melania Trump, wife of U.S. President Donald Trump, toured ceramics and listened to Chinese songs such as "Morihua" by the American Youth Choir.

After finishing singing, the choir shouted in unison to Ms. Feng, “Thank you, Mama Feng (Feng Liyuan’s nickname).”

Director Wang cited a Chinese character idiom that means, "Relations can only last long if we become friends with the heart" (唯以心相交 方成其久远), and emphasized, "For China-US relations to continue to develop, not only a handshake between the leaders but also a 'hand holding' between the two peoples is necessary."

Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng also posted a message on

During her visit to the United States, Ms. Feng attracted great attention by showing off outfits with traditional Chinese elements.

When visiting the museum, she chose a dark blue, mid-length dress with elements of cheongsam, a traditional Chinese costume, and on the same day, she chose a red, long-sleeved, V-neck dress for the White House state banquet.

Regarding this, Ma Zu, an analyst at Trivium China, a Chinese research firm, praised Ms. Peng, saying, "Ms. Peng helps add humanity to diplomacy, which can sometimes be quite hard-line and pragmatic, and creates warm moments in U.S.-China relations."

At this meeting, the leaders of the United States and China agreed to reduce some mutual tariffs, but confirmed a significant difference in temperature with Taiwan on key issues such as rare earths and artificial intelligence (AI).

A scene in which Ms. Feng is believed to have had a conversation with Ms. Melania without an interpreter was captured and became a hot topic online.

Hong Kong's South China Morning Post (SCMP) focused on the achievements of Ms. Peng's visit to the United States through six articles, including 'How did Mrs. Peng become a symbol of China's fashion soft power?'

Mrs. Feng, a former singer with a famous People's Liberation Army art troupe, has been actively engaged in foreign activities unlike previous first ladies of China, including receiving an award from the United Nations in recognition of her contribution to the fight against AIDS.