US President Donald Trump presented Chinese President Xi Jinping with a sculpture of a bald eagle during a state dinner in Washington on Thursday. The gift, symbolizing America's national bird, was part of a broader diplomatic effort to strengthen personal ties between the leaders of two global superpowers.
Trump described the statue as embodying the spirit of America, noting that he and First Lady Melania Trump were involved in its design. The exchange of gifts is a traditional, yet complex, aspect of international diplomacy, aiming to foster personal relationships between leaders. Daniel Kritenbrink, a partner at The Asia Group, emphasized the importance of these personal connections, especially for Xi, who values direct relationships with other leaders.
Kritenbrink, a former US diplomat with over 30 years of experience in Asia, highlighted the significance of the Trump-Xi relationship, noting that Trump also appreciates what he termed 'leader-level diplomacy.'
Gift-giving has been a notable feature of Trump's presidency, with the US president having received various luxurious items, including a jumbo jet and a gold bar. Ole Jacob Sending from the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs pointed out that gift-giving is a significant part of Trump's approach to diplomacy.
On the same day, Xi announced a gift of two Chinese pandas to a zoo in Atlanta, along with a new student exchange program that will bring 100,000 US students to China over five years. Xi described the pandas as 'an envoy of friendship' between China and the US, with the pandas, Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, set to arrive at Zoo Atlanta soon.
In contrast to the lavish gifts often exchanged by autocratic governments, Western countries have seen a decline in such practices due to democratic restrictions. Morten Skumsrud Anderson, who co-authored a study on diplomacy and gifts, explained that the US Constitution's emoluments clause limits the value of gifts a president can receive from foreign governments to $525. Anything exceeding this becomes federal property unless purchased by the president personally.
Sending elaborated on the intricacies of gift-giving in diplomacy, noting that it involves extensive planning and negotiation. He emphasized the importance of choosing the right gift to avoid diplomatic missteps.
Past examples of diplomatic gifts include former US President Barack Obama's 2013 gift to Xi of an inscribed redwood bench, a nod to their meeting in California. However, not all exchanges have been successful; in 2009, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's gift to Obama of a pen holder made from a historic ship's timbers was met with a set of DVDs that were incompatible with UK players.
The current summit between Trump and Xi, their third face-to-face meeting since Trump's second term began, occurs amid concerns over AI dominance and follows a tense US-China trade war. A temporary truce has been extended during this visit, underscoring the high stakes involved.
Kritenbrink summed up the diplomatic efforts, stating that the protocol, optics, and gift-giving are all means to an end, which is stable US-China relations. He added that a fragile truce is preferable to a white-hot trade war.
