Cultural Diplomacy at the Smithsonian
Peng Liyuan, China’s first lady, participated in public engagements during President Xi Jinping’s visit to Washington in September 2026, acting as a diplomatic asset aimed at projecting a gentler image of China amid ongoing disputes with the United States over trade and Taiwan issues.
During the visit, Peng chatted with U.S. First Lady Melania Trump in English without the assistance of a translator. She also attended an event at the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art, where she sang along quietly while being serenaded by a youth choir performing the Chinese folk song "Jasmine Flower." The children in the choir addressed Peng as "mother Peng" and offered thanks after the performance.
China’s Washington ambassador, Xie Feng, shared a video of Peng applauding the performance on the social media platform X. In his post, he stated that Peng encouraged American teenagers to study Chinese language and culture to serve as envoys of friendship.
Analyst Perspectives and Media Sensitivities
Joe Mazur, a geopolitics analyst at the Beijing-based consultancy Trivium China, noted that Peng’s presence helps put a "more human face" on hard-nosed diplomacy and generates positive moments for U.S.-China relations.
Despite these public displays, discussions regarding Peng’s activities and fashion choices remain heavily restricted within Chinese social media. Searches for her fashion sense and English abilities on the platform Red Note yielded no results, underscoring ongoing sensitivities surrounding the public discussion of top leaders' personal lives.
The Chinese foreign ministry did not respond to a request for comment regarding Peng’s reception in Washington.
Historical Context of First Ladies
The role of wives of top Chinese leaders has traditionally been kept at a low profile due to the historical experience of Jiang Qing, the widow of Mao Zedong. Jiang Qing led the "Gang of Four" during the Cultural Revolution and received a suspended death sentence in 1981.
Peng was previously best known in China as a soprano singer for the military. Since Xi Jinping rose to power in the early 2000s, Chinese media has gained more leeway to cover her activities. In a 2007 interview with a state-run magazine, Peng described Xi as frugal, hardworking, and down-to-earth.
"When he comes home, I’ve never thought of it as though there’s some leader in the house. In my eyes, he’s just my husband," Peng said at that time.
Peng has also championed social causes such as supporting people living with HIV/AIDS. She is Xi’s second wife, and the couple has a daughter who studied at Harvard University.