From wine to ping-pong, Trump and Xi’s state dinner is heavy on historic symbolism

The meal opened with a toast of Schramsberg Blanc de Noirs, a vineyard selected to honour the historic 1972 “Toast to Peace” shared by then US president Richard Nixon and Chinese premier Zhou Enlai, according to the first lady’s office.

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“The same American sparkling wine served at that historic gathering continues to be enjoyed at White House functions today,” Melania Trump’s office said in a statement.

In his speech, Donald Trump reflected on the deep roots of bilateral contacts, pointing out that the first formal delegation of Chinese diplomats arrived in the United States 158 years ago.

That 1868 mission, sent during the Qing dynasty (1644-1911), marked the country’s debut on the modern diplomatic stage. Led by former US envoy Anson Burlingame alongside Chinese officials, the delegation concluded the landmark Burlingame Treaty with Washington.