[Beijing = E-Daily Lee Myeongcheol Correspondent] Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to the United States and held talks with U.S. President Donald Trump. After reaching an economic and trade agreement, the two leaders attended a dinner to continue their discussions. The welcome dinner prepared by President Trump featured a menu that highlighted the distinctive characteristics of both the U.S. and China, underscoring the importance of the bilateral relationship.

According to China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency and other sources on the 25th, President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump hosted a state dinner for President Xi and First Lady Peng Liyuan in the East Room of the White House on the 24th (local time). The White House reported that First Lady Melania Trump took the lead in preparing the dinner.

According to the White House, the dinner menu featured American ingredients with subtle Chinese influences, reflecting the culinary traditions of both nations.

The dinner began with a toast of “Blanc de Noix” champagne—the same champagne served by Premier Zhou Enlai when then-President Richard Nixon visited Beijing in 1972. This recreated the historic “toast to peace” shared by both sides at that time.

The first course is “Velouté,” a yellow squash soup made with scallion oil, served with fresh herbs and sautéed wild mushrooms. Crispy pan-fried pancetta (cured pork) is added to enhance the flavor.

The main course is pan-seared sea bass coated in toasted sesame seeds. The sesame seeds create a nutty and aromatic crust while preserving the fish’s tender texture. The sea bass is served with bok choy and roasted eggplant to bring out caramelized flavors. Finally, a vibrant sauce made with fresh herbs is added.

For dessert, a soft vanilla crème was filled with sour cherry compote and placed atop a rich walnut cream (frangipane). The fruit-shaped dessert was served with ice cream made from honey harvested at the White House.

During the dinner, classical vocalist Christopher Macchio, who performed at President Trump’s inauguration last year, will take the stage. The U.S. Marine Band, the U.S. Army Chorus, and the U.S. Army String Quartet will also perform.

The dinner venue’s decorations conveyed a warm and celebratory atmosphere and featured the color red, which has long held cultural significance in Chinese history. Vases were lavishly adorned with red flowers, and the tables were draped with deep red tablecloths and arranged with dahlias and ranunculus. Gold-plated ornaments from the White House collection were also placed among the seasonal flowers.

The Reagan State Service tableware, produced during President Reagan’s administration, was also used at the tables. The White House stated that these decorations combined Chinese artistic elements with American traditions, expressed within the White House’s distinctive elegant atmosphere.

Meanwhile, both sides announced that

had reached a new trade agreement through this summit.

According to China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency, President Xi stated during his summit with President Trump that day, “The economic and trade teams from both sides have reached a new joint agreement,” adding, “This is good news for the business communities and people of both countries, and indeed for the global economy.”

In his speech at the dinner, President Xi also said, “China-U.S. relations have reached another historic turning point,” adding, “I had a frank and in-depth exchange with President Trump and we formed many new areas of common ground, which further enriches the substance of the constructive strategic stable relationship between China and the U.S.”

He further noted that “people-to-people and cultural exchanges between China and the U.S. have laid a foundation of public support for promoting communication and fostering friendly cooperation between the two nations’ peoples.”