Archive for ‘First Lady’

16/01/2019

Peng Liyuan attends performance with Finnish first lady

CHINA-BEIJING-PENG LIYUAN-JENNI HAUKIO-PERFORMANCE (CN)

Peng Liyuan (R, front), the wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, attends a show including poetry reading and musical performances with Jenni Haukio, wife of Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 15, 2019. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan)

BEIJING, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) — Peng Liyuan, the wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, attended a performance with Jenni Haukio, wife of Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, on Tuesday.

The show, which included poetry reading and musical performances, was held in the stylish bookstore Page One situated in the Qianmen area, a significant symbol of old Beijing.

After having strolled around the bookstore and learning about the history of the bookstore and the surrounding block, Peng and Haukio enjoyed wonderful performances on the top floor. Peng also briefed Haukio on the history and recent renovation of the historic district of Dashilar.

During the show, students majoring in Finnish read Haukio’s award-winning poems, catching her by surprise.

Young ladies dressed in ancient costumes sang traditional Chinese poems with the accompaniment of piano and Chinese zither, a traditional Chinese instrument.

The performance ended with a violinist and a pianist playing a piece work composed by Finnish composer Jean Sibelius.

The show was performed by teachers and students from the Beijing Foreign Studies University and the China Conservatory of Music.

Haukio is in Beijing accompanying President Niinisto who is paying a state visit to China from Sunday to Wednesday.

Source: Xinhua

26/03/2014

Fashion contest the focus of ‘first lady diplomacy’ during Michelle Obama’s China visit | South China Morning Post

The closely watched day spent together by the first ladies of China and the United States have sparked lively online discussions this week. Comparison of the two women kicked off the moment Peng Liyuan, the glamorous singer wife of Xi Jinping, welcomed her counterpart Michelle Obama at a Beijing high school on Friday morning.

That the two have much in common is obvious: both women, in their early 50s, are lauded for their sense of style, are highly-educated and managed successful careers before their husbands became leaders. Both are active in charity initiatives in public health, and both have daughters.

Commenting on everything from their choice of outfits to the details of their visits, the curious online public were amazed by the juxtaposition of these two women with strong personalities.

Thomas Ye, a widely followed fashion blogger on Chinese social media platforms who tweets under “Gogoboi”, graded their attire:

Chinese President Xi Jinping (C) and his wife Peng Liyuan (R) show the way to US first lady Michelle Obama (L) as they proceed to a meeting room at a guest house in Beijing on March 21, 2014. Photo: AFP

“Fashion contest first round: Michelle Obama’s casual black waistcoat, shirt and wide-legged trousers were eclipsed by a dignified Peng, exemplified by her formal navy blue suit, decorated with a red purse. Top points to Peng,” he wrote on Sina Weibo over the weekend.

The second round, however, went to Obama, who “hit back” with a joyful red dress by designer designer Naeem Khan  when she showed up for a banquet at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse on Friday evening.

Several official media outlets joined the discussion.

The official China Daily said in a photo caption showing their dresses: “The first ladies of China and the US … have much in common: They are symbols of glamour in their own countries and stand uneclipsed by their more powerful husbands. They are loved by the public not because of their spouses but for who they are. Each woman has created a ‘power centre’ – a kind of soft power – from a combination of femininity and self-assertion”.

China once again embraced the idea of “first lady diplomacy” since Xi Jinping took power in 2013, in the hope of giving a soft touch to the country’s rising assertiveness. The country’s last visible “first lady” was the charismatic Wang Guangmei, wife of Liu Shaoqi, who held the presidency between 1959 and 1966.

Peng’s increasing popularity with the public – thanks to her gracious manners and elegant style gained through her years as a professional performer – raises questions about the extent of her role.

via Fashion contest the focus of ‘first lady diplomacy’ during Michelle Obama’s China visit | South China Morning Post.

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