According to the Washington Examiner, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump are getting ready to welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping for his inaugural state visit to the United States in more than ten years. The event takes place in the White House’s East Room while a new ballroom is built nearby. This gathering marks a major diplomatic moment as the two nations discuss trade and technology.
The night opens with a toast featuring Schramsberg Blanc de Noir sparkling wine. The first lady’s office says this choice honors the “Toast to Peace” from 1972 between President Nixon and Premier Zhou Enlai. “The same American sparkling wine served at that historic gathering continues to be enjoyed at White House functions today,” the office wrote in a statement on Thursday.
However, Schramsberg’s own website reports that the wine served at that 1972 dinner was actually its 1969 Blanc de Blancs. The East Room itself is decorated in red to show “warmth and celebration.” According to the first lady’s office, red holds “longstanding cultural significance throughout Chinese history”.
Tables feature rich red linens and seasonal flowers like dahlias and ranunculus. “Tables are dressed in rich red linens and adorned with dahlias and ranunculus,” the office stated. The setting also includes vermeil and the Reagan State Service to blend American tradition with Chinese artistry.
First Lady Melania Trump led the planning for the three-course meal. She told “Fox & Friends” that “There is a lot of details that comes in to plan the state dinner”. Combining the culinary traditions of both nations, the menu showcases American ingredients blended with subtle Chinese influence, as noted by the Washington Examiner.
The first course is a yellow squash velouté with wild mushrooms and crispy pancetta. “The first course offers a refined and silky-smooth velouté made of sweet yellow squash,” the menu states. Sesame-crusted sea bass, braised baby bok choy, and roasted eggplant comprise the second course. Notably, no red meat will be served at all, making the dinner exclusively a pescatarian affair.
For dessert, guests enjoy vanilla crémeux with sour cherry confit and White House Honey ice cream. The guest list includes top business leaders like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Tim Cook. These tech giants are expected to discuss artificial intelligence during the visit.
The dinner occurs midway through President Xi’s three-day visit to Washington. On Friday, the Chinese leaders will visit the National Archives to see founding documents. A senior administration official said they will view “some of the United States’ most important founding documents as we celebrate our 250th anniversary”.
President Trump’s favorite tenor, Christopher Macchio, will perform at the dinner. He previously serenaded the president at his second inauguration. The event showcases American hospitality while maintaining strict diplomatic protocol for the visiting head of state.
