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Single's Day, Putin and China's First Lady | |
(about 7 hours later) | |
Russian leader Vladimir Putin's solicitous act of draping China's First Lady Peng Liyuan in a shawl has become a social media highlight of the Apec summit. It also ignited Chinese forums on Tuesday, which was Singles Day. | Russian leader Vladimir Putin's solicitous act of draping China's First Lady Peng Liyuan in a shawl has become a social media highlight of the Apec summit. It also ignited Chinese forums on Tuesday, which was Singles Day. |
Vladimir Putin has a special place among the cast of world leaders for the Chinese public. | Vladimir Putin has a special place among the cast of world leaders for the Chinese public. |
Perhaps it is a legacy of the fraternal relations between the Soviet Union and Mao's Communist China. | Perhaps it is a legacy of the fraternal relations between the Soviet Union and Mao's Communist China. |
But it's probably more about his macho strongman image, something generations of solemn Chinese leaders have not been noted for. | But it's probably more about his macho strongman image, something generations of solemn Chinese leaders have not been noted for. |
Mr Putin stole the limelight on Monday when at an Apec party he carefully placed a shawl over the shoulders of China's stylish first lady Peng Liyuan. | Mr Putin stole the limelight on Monday when at an Apec party he carefully placed a shawl over the shoulders of China's stylish first lady Peng Liyuan. |
A gracious Ms Peng accepted the offer, but removed the shawl only seconds later, replacing it with her own black jacket. | A gracious Ms Peng accepted the offer, but removed the shawl only seconds later, replacing it with her own black jacket. |
It was a fleeting moment but captured on live television and China's internet users went wild for the gesture, posting the GIF image on their Weibo accounts. | It was a fleeting moment but captured on live television and China's internet users went wild for the gesture, posting the GIF image on their Weibo accounts. |
One Weibo user (TuXiaonuan_sakura) lauded Mr Putin's act, saying: "Well done, uncle Putin." | One Weibo user (TuXiaonuan_sakura) lauded Mr Putin's act, saying: "Well done, uncle Putin." |
Another user, "Happy Zhang Jiang", also fell for the Russian leader: "Like Putin. He is truly a man. He is the heart throb for many women. Cool!" | Another user, "Happy Zhang Jiang", also fell for the Russian leader: "Like Putin. He is truly a man. He is the heart throb for many women. Cool!" |
Perhaps after seeing how the forums pounced on the moment, state TV stopped running that scene and there is no mention of it in official state media. | |
But on Weibo and WeChat it is clearly what is making people talk and there has been little censorship so far. | But on Weibo and WeChat it is clearly what is making people talk and there has been little censorship so far. |
Mindful of Russia's vast gas resources, one user said: "The energy from Russia warms both China and Germany." | Mindful of Russia's vast gas resources, one user said: "The energy from Russia warms both China and Germany." |
Name: Putin, Skills: Shawl-covering | |
This served as a reminder to China's Weibo users that Russia's "gallant" president had form. He once covered German Chancellor Merkel with a shawl at a previous G20 summit. | This served as a reminder to China's Weibo users that Russia's "gallant" president had form. He once covered German Chancellor Merkel with a shawl at a previous G20 summit. |
Others started posting short biographies online for the Russian president: "Name: Putin, Skills: shawl covering." | Others started posting short biographies online for the Russian president: "Name: Putin, Skills: shawl covering." |
Coincidently, 11 November is the so-called Single's Day in China. Some wondered: "How come Putin is single?" Another quipped, "My mom is asking, how come Putin is divorced?" | Coincidently, 11 November is the so-called Single's Day in China. Some wondered: "How come Putin is single?" Another quipped, "My mom is asking, how come Putin is divorced?" |
Singles Day is China's biggest online shopping day. It began as a holiday devoted to single people, an anti-Valentine's Day. | Singles Day is China's biggest online shopping day. It began as a holiday devoted to single people, an anti-Valentine's Day. |
On this day, then, some saw the shawl moment as an opportunity to offer advice to China's singletons, who were exhorted to copy Mr Putin's chivalrous advances: "Attention, for those considerate gentleman, please always remember to take blankets around." | On this day, then, some saw the shawl moment as an opportunity to offer advice to China's singletons, who were exhorted to copy Mr Putin's chivalrous advances: "Attention, for those considerate gentleman, please always remember to take blankets around." |
Another internet user re-imagined a conversation between Xi Jinping and Peng Liyuan: "Look, he is doing the same to every woman." | Another internet user re-imagined a conversation between Xi Jinping and Peng Liyuan: "Look, he is doing the same to every woman." |
But there was the occasional rebuke: "Shameful Putin. How dare you steal the limelight from Xi Dada [nickname for Xi Jinping]?" | But there was the occasional rebuke: "Shameful Putin. How dare you steal the limelight from Xi Dada [nickname for Xi Jinping]?" |
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