According to CCTV news reports, on the evening of September 24 local time, President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan arrived at the White House by car to attend a welcome banquet hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump and his wife Melania.
The Office of the First Lady of the United States announced details such as the dinner menu and the on-site decoration on that day.
According to reports from the White House, this state dinner was prepared under the auspices of First Lady Melania Trump and took place in the East Room of the White House. In addition to members of the official delegations from China and the United States, government officials and business leaders were also invited to attend.
The White House summarized this menu as follows: It features American ingredients, while incorporating Chinese elements, with the hope of combining the dietary traditions of both countries.
Among these arrangements, the one that truly has historical significance for Sino-US relations occurred just before the formal start of the meal.
The guests first raised their glasses with the Schramsberg sparkling wine from California, USA. The White House specifically noted that this arrangement was to pay tribute to the historic "Toast to Peace" that took place in Beijing between Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai and U.S. President Nixon during Nixon's visit to China in 1972. Schramsberg's sparkling wine has since been used in various White House diplomatic events.
Trump delivers a speech, USA Today
The formal menu consists of three courses.
The appetizer is Yellow Squash Velouté, paired with wild mushrooms and crispy Italian bacon, concluding with scallion oil. According to the White House’s description, the squash velouté highlights the soft flavors of seasonal ingredients, while the mushrooms are cooked with fresh herbs. Finally, scallion oil is added to enhance the aroma.
The main dish is Sesame Crusted Sea Bass. The fresh sea bass is coated with roasted sesame seeds on the outside, served with stewed bok choy and roasted eggplant. It is topped with a green sauce made from fresh herbs.
Looking at the entire menu, this is also a dish where Chinese elements are most evident: ingredients such as sesame, bok choy, eggplant, and scallion oil are included in the state dinner menu, which is primarily based on American ingredients. The White House said they hope to showcase the integration of both countries' culinary traditions through this dish.
The dessert is a vanilla cream dessert served with White House honey ice cream, topped with sour cherry jam and walnut almond cream filling. The honey used in the ice cream comes from White House’s own production.
Besides the menu, the White House specially added Chinese elements in the banquet hall for this event.
The First Lady’s Office stated that the decorations for the dinner were intended to convey a sense of "warmth and celebration," and took inspiration from the significance of red in Chinese history and culture.
The venue featured large red tablecloths, along with red flowers such as dahlias and buttercups. The dining tables were also equipped with gold-plated silverware from the White House collection, as well as dinnerware from the Reagan era. The White House stated that these designs aim to combine “Chinese art with American traditions.”
During the dinner, several musical performances were also arranged. The main performer was Christopher Macchio, an American tenor singer who performed at Trump’s 2025 Inauguration Ceremony. The U.S. Marine Band, Army Choir, and Army String Band also participated in the performance that evening.
On February 21, 1972, President Nixon crossed the Pacific Ocean and shook hands with Premier Zhou Enlai in Beijing. At the welcome banquet held in the banquet hall of the Great Hall of the People, the wine used at the banquet was described by American media as a “peace toast.” The event became a celebrated story, symbolizing the union of two great national wines. Video screenshot
