Melania Trump hosts China's first lady for outing watched for diplomacy and style

First Ladies Melania Trump and Peng Liyuan visited the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art on Thursday, marking a significant diplomatic encounter in Washington. The event served as an opportunity to showcase the cultural connections between the United States and China. The first ladies, who were accompanied by their respective husbands, bypassed the White House to attend the event.

This marked the first public meeting between the spouses in nearly a decade, with one being a former model and the other a renowned opera singer. The public gathering outside the museum was attended by numerous spectators who waved both Chinese and American flags, with some displaying banners adorned with Chinese text. Inside the museum, the duo explored the Peacock Room, an opulent gilded room designed by American artist James McNeill Whistler.

The room, originally part of a London mansion, was later moved to Washington in 1923. They also admired the "Princess from the Land of Porcelain," a Whistler painting featured in the room.