#StateVisit
Diplomatic Dinners and Political Theatre
#StateVisit
Diplomatic Dinners and Political Theatre
State visits are like those big family reunions where everyone’s on their best behaviour, even though half the room secretly can’t stand each other and someone definitely owes someone else money. Leaders arrive grinning like cousins who haven’t spoken since that messy trade dispute, exchange gifts no one understands (“Thank you for this... ceremonial fishing spear?”), and endure elaborate dinners where nobody touches the food because they're too busy pretending to laugh at diplomatic jokes. There’s always one overeager staffer filming everything like it’s a wedding, and at least one awkward cultural moment that’ll live forever on the internet. It’s warm, weird, overly formal — and just like family, nobody really knows what they’re doing, but everyone claps anyway.
Biden Arrives in China for Economic Talks Amid US Debt Turmoil
- Wednesday, 17 August 2011
US Vice-President Joe Biden has arrived in China for economic talks, focusing on the economy after the downgrading of US debt and market turmoil. He will explain a "very strong deficit reduction package" and discuss "tremendous mutual interest" in global economic recovery. The visit aims to reassure Beijing that President Barack Obama’s administration has a handle on economic policy. Biden is meeting with his counterpart, Xi Jinping, who is expected to take over the Chinese Communist Party chairmanship and presidency.
