Peng Liyuan and Melania Trump renew acquaintance as Xi arrives in US

Chinese first lady Peng Liyuan shared a light moment with Melania Trump on Wednesday as the two women renewed an acquaintance dating back to the Trumps’ first term in the White House.

The first ladies smiled as they greeted each other at the foot of the aircraft stairs at Joint Base Andrews, where Peng arrived with President Xi Jinping for a visit to Washington. Walking behind their husbands along the red carpet, Peng gestured towards the honour guard, apparently remarking on the soldiers’ height.

After the welcoming ceremony, Peng mouthed “wonderful” during another brief exchange with Melania. Their conversation was not audible.

The two women had spent time together during Xi’s visit to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida in April 2017. Later that year, during the Trumps’ visit to Beijing, they toured a primary school together, taking in classes and a student cultural performance. Melania subsequently called Xi and Peng “gracious hosts” and spoke of the personal conversations she had enjoyed during the trip.