Xi Jinping Arrives at the White House for State Dinner With Trump, Here’s What’s Being Served

Chinese President Xi Jinping and First Lady Peng Liyuan have arrived at the White House for a state dinner hosted by US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump. The evening is set in the East Room, and the White House has released the three-course menu, built around American ingredients with what it calls a “subtle Chinese influence.”

The Trumps greeted Xi and Peng at the North Portico before the group moved into the East Room, according to the South China Morning Post. Xi wore a black Zhongshan suit, often called a “Mao suit,” and Peng wore a long red gown.

This marks the couple’s return to the White House after a ceremony and closed-door talks earlier in the day, which Trump described as a “great meeting.” The evening itself is being billed as formal but festive, with remarks, a toast, dinner and entertainment.

What’s on the menu

Guests, including Trump and Xi, will be served sesame-crusted sea bass with crisp baby bok choy as the main course.

An appetizer of yellow squash will come drizzled with scallion oil. The full menu is below.

First Course

Yellow squash velouté

Wild mushroom fricassee

Crispy pancetta

Scallion oil

Second Course

Sesame-crusted sea bass

Braised baby bok choy

Roasted garden eggplant

Sauce verte

Dessert

Vanilla crémeux and White House honey ice cream

Walnut frangipane

Sour cherry confit

The White House says the dishes bring together the culinary traditions of both countries.

A toast with history behind it

Dinner will open with a toast of Schramsberg, a California sparkling wine. It carries some symbolism: it’s the same wine President Richard Nixon drank in Beijing in 1972, during the visit that marked a major turning point in US-China relations, according to the New York Times.

Red for the occasion

The East Room will be set with red linens, and its urns will hold red flowers. The administration said red was chosen for its meaning in Chinese culture, calling the evening’s décor an expression of warmth and celebration.

Entertainment for the evening

Opera singer Christopher Macchio will headline the night’s music. He performed earlier this month at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas. Musicians from the US Army and Marine Corps will also take part.