Melania Trump and Peng Liyuan Tour Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art

During Chinese President Xi Jinping's 43-hour state visit to the United States—his first in over a decade—first ladies Melania Trump and Peng Liyuan visited the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art in Washington. Their tour included Chinese artworks and the museum's Peacock Room, a space shaped by Asian design. The visit occurred while President Xi and US President Donald Trump held talks at the White House. The summit produced key takeaways on trade, Taiwan, and 'strategic stability,' according to the South China Morning Post. The first ladies' cultural engagement paralleled the diplomatic discussions. The Peacock Room, originally designed by James McNeill Whistler for a British shipping magnate, is renowned for its Asian-inspired decorative scheme. The museum, part of the Smithsonian Institution, holds one of the most significant collections of Asian art in the United States. The visit underscores the role of cultural diplomacy during high-stakes political meetings. The SCMP compiled seven reads on the summit's outcomes and fallout, with correspondents providing highlights and insights. The trip marked Xi's first state visit to the US in more than ten years, and Trump organized a grand affair. The first ladies' tour was one of several events during the whirlwind visit.