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| California estate prepares for Obama's 'no necktie' summit with Chinese leader | California estate prepares for Obama's 'no necktie' summit with Chinese leader |
| (4 months later) | |
| Everything is designed to soothe and relax. The lush estate occupies a 200-acre desert oasis landscaped with cactus gardens, agaves and aloes to evoke an impressionist painting. Water gently overflows the edges of reflecting pools. | Everything is designed to soothe and relax. The lush estate occupies a 200-acre desert oasis landscaped with cactus gardens, agaves and aloes to evoke an impressionist painting. Water gently overflows the edges of reflecting pools. |
| The main house alternates Mexican stone lava walls with floor-to-ceiling glass which affords spectacular views of the San Jacinto mountains. The pyramid roof's hand-crafted pink tiles reflect the sunset. | The main house alternates Mexican stone lava walls with floor-to-ceiling glass which affords spectacular views of the San Jacinto mountains. The pyramid roof's hand-crafted pink tiles reflect the sunset. |
| Earth tones fleck the white terrazzo flooring. Décor is white, pink, yellow and celadon green. Furniture is paired with symmetrical balance. Two beige sofas sit on the outer edge of a large rug, facing off from east and west. | Earth tones fleck the white terrazzo flooring. Décor is white, pink, yellow and celadon green. Furniture is paired with symmetrical balance. Two beige sofas sit on the outer edge of a large rug, facing off from east and west. |
| Welcome to Sunnylands, an estate in Rancho Mirage, California, nicknamed the "presidents' playground" which hopes to bring harmony to the world, starting on Friday. | Welcome to Sunnylands, an estate in Rancho Mirage, California, nicknamed the "presidents' playground" which hopes to bring harmony to the world, starting on Friday. |
| The retreat will host the US president, Barack Obama, and China's new president, Xi Jinping, for a "no necktie" summit intended to loosen up both leaders and smooth relations between the world's two biggest economies. | The retreat will host the US president, Barack Obama, and China's new president, Xi Jinping, for a "no necktie" summit intended to loosen up both leaders and smooth relations between the world's two biggest economies. |
| Instead of the usual dark suits and pomp of a White House meeting, both sides agreed to an informal setting light on protocol to try to foster trust. | Instead of the usual dark suits and pomp of a White House meeting, both sides agreed to an informal setting light on protocol to try to foster trust. |
| "Sunnylands is different to being in Washington. Here they can relax. The desert can bring people together in a more leisurely manner," said Richard Kite, the mayor of Rancho Mirage, the quiet, wealthy town, population 17,000, which rings the estate. "This will give an atmosphere where they can get to know each other better. That's good for everyone." | "Sunnylands is different to being in Washington. Here they can relax. The desert can bring people together in a more leisurely manner," said Richard Kite, the mayor of Rancho Mirage, the quiet, wealthy town, population 17,000, which rings the estate. "This will give an atmosphere where they can get to know each other better. That's good for everyone." |
| A prickly agenda which includes cyber-attacks, North Korea and the South China Sea will test Sunnylands' ambition to become a synonym for high-stakes dialogue. It will be the first meeting between the two leaders since Xi succeeded Hu Jintao as Communist party leader last year and as president in March. | A prickly agenda which includes cyber-attacks, North Korea and the South China Sea will test Sunnylands' ambition to become a synonym for high-stakes dialogue. It will be the first meeting between the two leaders since Xi succeeded Hu Jintao as Communist party leader last year and as president in March. |
| "We are profoundly honoured that President Obama has chosen Sunnylands as the venue for this important meeting," said Geoffrey Cowan, president of the Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands. "Walter and Leonore Annenberg were remarkable philanthropists and diplomats who hoped that their estate could become a 'Camp David of the west' where the president would meet with world leaders to promote global peace and facilitate international agreements. This meeting … begins to fulfil that vision." | "We are profoundly honoured that President Obama has chosen Sunnylands as the venue for this important meeting," said Geoffrey Cowan, president of the Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands. "Walter and Leonore Annenberg were remarkable philanthropists and diplomats who hoped that their estate could become a 'Camp David of the west' where the president would meet with world leaders to promote global peace and facilitate international agreements. This meeting … begins to fulfil that vision." |
| How the Annenbergs transformed this patch of desert in the Coachella valley into a diplomatic venue is a story involving Hollywood, TV Guide, Rupert Murdoch, parties and lots of golf. | How the Annenbergs transformed this patch of desert in the Coachella valley into a diplomatic venue is a story involving Hollywood, TV Guide, Rupert Murdoch, parties and lots of golf. |
| Ranchers who settled here early in the 20th century were followed in the 1920s by film stars who realised Rancho Mirage, and nearby Palm Springs, could offer privacy and luxury without breaking studio contracts which obliged them to be within two hours of Hollywood. | Ranchers who settled here early in the 20th century were followed in the 1920s by film stars who realised Rancho Mirage, and nearby Palm Springs, could offer privacy and luxury without breaking studio contracts which obliged them to be within two hours of Hollywood. |
| Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, among others, built homes. | Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, among others, built homes. |
| In 1963 Leonore and Walter Annenberg, a New York publisher who owned The Daily Racing Form, TV Guide and the magazine Seventeen, bought 200 acres and built a winter home and nine-hole golf course which hosted lavish gatherings attended by celebrities, politicians and royalty, including Princess Grace and Queen Elizabeth. | In 1963 Leonore and Walter Annenberg, a New York publisher who owned The Daily Racing Form, TV Guide and the magazine Seventeen, bought 200 acres and built a winter home and nine-hole golf course which hosted lavish gatherings attended by celebrities, politicians and royalty, including Princess Grace and Queen Elizabeth. |
| Dwight Eisenhower, Gerald Ford and Richard Nixon – who appointed Walter ambassador to the UK – were regular visitors, turning Sunnylands into a treasured bolthole for successors, notably Ronald Reagan and George Bush senior. | Dwight Eisenhower, Gerald Ford and Richard Nixon – who appointed Walter ambassador to the UK – were regular visitors, turning Sunnylands into a treasured bolthole for successors, notably Ronald Reagan and George Bush senior. |
| Annenberg sold much of his empire to Murdoch for $3.2bn in 1988 in one of history's most expensive publishing deals and retired to focus on philanthropy and his desert oasis ringed by a pink wall. "Paradise Lost?" an enchanted Reagan wrote in the guest book. Another time he wrote: "You've made it hard for us to go back to the universe." | Annenberg sold much of his empire to Murdoch for $3.2bn in 1988 in one of history's most expensive publishing deals and retired to focus on philanthropy and his desert oasis ringed by a pink wall. "Paradise Lost?" an enchanted Reagan wrote in the guest book. Another time he wrote: "You've made it hard for us to go back to the universe." |
| Guests, who included Margaret Thatcher, Bill Clinton and Bill Gates, said the serenity encouraged candidness and conviviality. "It's a place that you like to sit and talk," said the former secretary of state George Schultz. "You almost forget about time and focus on what it is you're discussing." | Guests, who included Margaret Thatcher, Bill Clinton and Bill Gates, said the serenity encouraged candidness and conviviality. "It's a place that you like to sit and talk," said the former secretary of state George Schultz. "You almost forget about time and focus on what it is you're discussing." |
| Reagan and Bush held talks with Canadian and Japanese leaders here but Sunnylands, bordered by drives named after Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra, was then largely overlooked for two decades, during which the Annenbergs, and their dream of hosting world leaders, died. | Reagan and Bush held talks with Canadian and Japanese leaders here but Sunnylands, bordered by drives named after Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra, was then largely overlooked for two decades, during which the Annenbergs, and their dream of hosting world leaders, died. |
| Last year it unveiled a new retreat for "world peace", prompting renewed interest and the White House's decision to hold its summit with Xi amid the cactus gardens. | Last year it unveiled a new retreat for "world peace", prompting renewed interest and the White House's decision to hold its summit with Xi amid the cactus gardens. |
| That the Chinese, normally sticklers for protocol, agreed showed Xi was more open than his predecessors, Ruan Zongze, a vice-president of the China Institute of International Studies, a thinktank linked to the Chinese foreign ministry, told Reuters. | That the Chinese, normally sticklers for protocol, agreed showed Xi was more open than his predecessors, Ruan Zongze, a vice-president of the China Institute of International Studies, a thinktank linked to the Chinese foreign ministry, told Reuters. |
| "That's a very important message to the Americans: that we'd like to engage, we'd like to have discussions with them. I think Xi is more accessible and this will be a very good opportunity for Xi and Obama to build a better personal relationship." | "That's a very important message to the Americans: that we'd like to engage, we'd like to have discussions with them. I think Xi is more accessible and this will be a very good opportunity for Xi and Obama to build a better personal relationship." |
| It may have helped that Sunnylands has Chinese artwork and a pagoda. | It may have helped that Sunnylands has Chinese artwork and a pagoda. |
| Secret service agents have inspected the estate for weeks. Guards at the gate on Thursday declined to comment on preparations inside the grounds. | Secret service agents have inspected the estate for weeks. Guards at the gate on Thursday declined to comment on preparations inside the grounds. |
| Activists for Tibetan independence said they would protest but they are likely to be kept far from the grounds. | Activists for Tibetan independence said they would protest but they are likely to be kept far from the grounds. |
| Rancho Mirage is waiting to see if the leaders emerge for a stroll around town. With temperatures exceeding 38C (100F) the usual "snowbird" visitors from Canada who winter here have mostly gone, leaving an eclectic, permanent population of Latino workers and wealthy gay people – and Republicans. | Rancho Mirage is waiting to see if the leaders emerge for a stroll around town. With temperatures exceeding 38C (100F) the usual "snowbird" visitors from Canada who winter here have mostly gone, leaving an eclectic, permanent population of Latino workers and wealthy gay people – and Republicans. |
| Unlike liberal Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage is conservative. It has hosted Tea Party gatherings with the Koch brothers and Rush Limbaugh. | Unlike liberal Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage is conservative. It has hosted Tea Party gatherings with the Koch brothers and Rush Limbaugh. |
| Some residents mourned Obama's re-election by wearing black. | Some residents mourned Obama's re-election by wearing black. |
| China's growing economic clout is evident at shopping outlets about 40 miles away where bus-loads of Chinese tourists hoover up designer goods. "This summit is very positive for our city," said Kite, the mayor. "We're hoping people will look to us as a place they want to visit. We're hoping the whole Pacific Rim will open up." | China's growing economic clout is evident at shopping outlets about 40 miles away where bus-loads of Chinese tourists hoover up designer goods. "This summit is very positive for our city," said Kite, the mayor. "We're hoping people will look to us as a place they want to visit. We're hoping the whole Pacific Rim will open up." |
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