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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Melania Trump engages in panda diplomacy at Beijing zoo | Melania Trump engages in panda diplomacy at Beijing zoo |
| (5 days later) | |
| First lady meets Beijing zoo’s ‘goodwill ambassadors’ Meng’er and Gu Gu and hands out toy bald eagles to local children | First lady meets Beijing zoo’s ‘goodwill ambassadors’ Meng’er and Gu Gu and hands out toy bald eagles to local children |
| Agencies in Beijing | Agencies in Beijing |
| Fri 10 Nov 2017 09.25 GMT | Fri 10 Nov 2017 09.25 GMT |
| Last modified on Wed 14 Feb 2018 17.02 GMT | |
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| Melania Trump spent time with a couple of China’s most prominent diplomats on her last day in Beijing on Friday: the pandas Meng’er and Gu Gu. | Melania Trump spent time with a couple of China’s most prominent diplomats on her last day in Beijing on Friday: the pandas Meng’er and Gu Gu. |
| While President Donald Trump jetted off to a summit in Vietnam after his state visit to China, the first lady stayed behind to see the Beijing zoo’s favourite tenants before heading to the Great Wall later in the day. | While President Donald Trump jetted off to a summit in Vietnam after his state visit to China, the first lady stayed behind to see the Beijing zoo’s favourite tenants before heading to the Great Wall later in the day. |
| She stopped in a Ming dynasty watchtower and admired the view. “This is beautiful. This is amazing,” she said. | She stopped in a Ming dynasty watchtower and admired the view. “This is beautiful. This is amazing,” she said. |
| Earlier, the former model greeted a group of schoolchildren waving miniature Chinese and American flags, handing out stuffed toy bald eagles after watching the children sing a Chinese folksong at the panda enclosure. | Earlier, the former model greeted a group of schoolchildren waving miniature Chinese and American flags, handing out stuffed toy bald eagles after watching the children sing a Chinese folksong at the panda enclosure. |
| Trump then signed a panda print, writing: “Thank you to the Beijing Zoo! Wonderful to meet Gu Gu! Melania Trump”. | Trump then signed a panda print, writing: “Thank you to the Beijing Zoo! Wonderful to meet Gu Gu! Melania Trump”. |
| Trump later “interacted privately” with Gu Gu behind the scenes, the zoo’s director, Li Xiaoguang, told reporters. Born in 1999, Gu Gu is a “good-looking panda with a robust memory”, traits that serve him well as “goodwill ambassador of the zoo”, Li said. | Trump later “interacted privately” with Gu Gu behind the scenes, the zoo’s director, Li Xiaoguang, told reporters. Born in 1999, Gu Gu is a “good-looking panda with a robust memory”, traits that serve him well as “goodwill ambassador of the zoo”, Li said. |
| Beijing has cultivated a global fascination with pandas as part of its diplomacy by sending the animals to overseas zoos where they have proven a popular draw. | Beijing has cultivated a global fascination with pandas as part of its diplomacy by sending the animals to overseas zoos where they have proven a popular draw. |
| Later in the afternoon, Melania Trump walked along part of the Mutianyu section of the more than 12,400-mile (20,000km) long Great Wall, a Unesco world heritage site where China frequently takes visiting heads of state and their spouses. | Later in the afternoon, Melania Trump walked along part of the Mutianyu section of the more than 12,400-mile (20,000km) long Great Wall, a Unesco world heritage site where China frequently takes visiting heads of state and their spouses. |
| As with previous first ladies, Trump has used her platform to champion public causes, such as the prevention of childhood bullying and combating the opioid epidemic in the US. | As with previous first ladies, Trump has used her platform to champion public causes, such as the prevention of childhood bullying and combating the opioid epidemic in the US. |
| Playing a prominent supporting role on the president’s multi-leg Asia visit, she won praise on Chinese social media, with comparisons to China’s first lady, Peng Liyuan, during their visit to the Forbidden City in Beijing on Wednesday. | Playing a prominent supporting role on the president’s multi-leg Asia visit, she won praise on Chinese social media, with comparisons to China’s first lady, Peng Liyuan, during their visit to the Forbidden City in Beijing on Wednesday. |
| Accompanied by Peng, Melania Trump watched a cultural performance, painted pandas and participated in a cooking class at a primary school on Thursday. | Accompanied by Peng, Melania Trump watched a cultural performance, painted pandas and participated in a cooking class at a primary school on Thursday. |
| Many on China’s Twitter-like Weibo applauded the US first lady’s grace and sense of style, as well as her cultural sensitivity. But most said they remained bigger fans of their own first lady, often affectionately referred to online as Peng Mama, which roughly translates as Mother Peng. | Many on China’s Twitter-like Weibo applauded the US first lady’s grace and sense of style, as well as her cultural sensitivity. But most said they remained bigger fans of their own first lady, often affectionately referred to online as Peng Mama, which roughly translates as Mother Peng. |
| “I still think Mama oozes more grace, while also exuding a motherly air!” one Weibo poster said. | “I still think Mama oozes more grace, while also exuding a motherly air!” one Weibo poster said. |
| Chinese social media sites are policed heavily during important political events, with negative or sensitive content swiftly blocked or removed by censors. | Chinese social media sites are policed heavily during important political events, with negative or sensitive content swiftly blocked or removed by censors. |
| As Donald Trump departed, he said on Twitter his wife’s next stop would be Alaska, where she would “greet our AMAZING troops”. | As Donald Trump departed, he said on Twitter his wife’s next stop would be Alaska, where she would “greet our AMAZING troops”. |
| Reuters and Agence France-Presse contributed to this report | Reuters and Agence France-Presse contributed to this report |
| Melania Trump | Melania Trump |
| China | China |
| Wildlife | Wildlife |
| Zoos | Zoos |
| Animals | Animals |
| Asia Pacific | Asia Pacific |
| news | news |
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