From Deng to Xi Jinping: Every Chinese leader who visited White House - A look at history
China announced that President Xi Jinping will travel to the US starting from Sept. 23-25. Xi's visit comes after the US president’s invitation. Before this, Xi visited the US in 2015, marking 11 years of gap. Other than Xi, let's find out how many leaders visited the US before.
1. Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping (January 29, 1979)
Hosted by President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalynn Carter, this marked the highest-ranking Chinese visit since 1943. After a South Lawn welcome, Carter and Deng held meetings in the Oval Office and Cabinet Room. The State Dinner featured roasted veal, seafood timbale, and chestnut mousse, with former President Nixon attending. The evening concluded with a gala at the Kennedy Centre featuring John Denver and the Harlem Globetrotters.
2. Premier Zhao Ziyang (January 10, 1984)
The first Chinese head of government to visit, Zhao was welcomed by President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan. Following meetings in the Oval Office and Cabinet Room, a State Dinner was held featuring beef farcie en croute and poached turbot, with violinist Isaac Stern performing in the East Room that evening.
3. President Li Xiannian and Madame Lin Jiamei (July 23, 1985)
President Li received a formal Arrival Ceremony with full military honours before meeting Reagan at the White House. The State Dinner, held in the State Dining Room for 125 guests, featured lime sabayon, lobster, and veal tenderloin, with performances by baritone Gregg Baker and mezzo-soprano Grace Bumbry. Notably, it was Reagan's first outing after intestinal surgery ten days earlier.
4. President Jiang Zemin (October 29, 1997)
Hosted by President Bill Clinton, Jiang arrived with Madame Wang Yeping to a formal South Lawn. The State Dinner featured poached lobster, pepper-crusted Oregon beef, and Marzipan panda bears. Guests then travelled by trolley to a South Lawn tent, where the National Symphony Orchestra performed works by Bernstein, Copland, and Sousa.
5. Premier Zhu Rongji (April 8, 1999)
Welcomed on the South Lawn with full military honours, Zhu attended a State Dinner featuring roasted salmon and orange sherbet dessert, amid décor of parrot tulips and Raphaela roses. Entertainment included recitals by cellist Yo-Yo Ma, pianist Sara Wolfensohn, and musician Wu Man performing the pipa, a traditional Chinese four-stringed lute.
6. President Hu Jintao and Madame Liu Yongqing (April 20, 2006)
Though not a formal state visit, President Hu received a 21-gun salute and reviewed a fife-and-drum corps under President George W. Bush. After Oval Office meetings, Hu attended an East Room luncheon featuring Alaskan halibut and ginger-scented dumplings, entertained by live bluegrass music, a notably different cultural pairing than typical state dinners.
7. President Hu Jintao (January 19, 2011)
Hu returned for a formal state visit under President Barack Obama, receiving full military honours and a 21-gun salute. The State Dinner featured pear salad, poached Maine lobster, and apple pie, set with gold-rimmed Clinton china. Entertainment included jazz musicians Chris Botti and Herbie Hancock, alongside classical pianist Lang Lang.
8. President Xi Jinping and Madame Peng Liyuan (September 25, 2015)
Welcomed by President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama with a 21-gun salute and national anthems, Xi held private Oval Office talks followed by a press conference. The State Dinner, designed around the rose as a shared cultural symbol, featured a mushroom consommé and Colorado lamb, with entertainment by the Sphinx Organisation String Quartet and Grammy winner Ne-Yo.
)
)
)
)
)