A Collection of Photos of China's First Lady Peng Liyuan's Official Visit Outfits

When the head of state travels abroad and participates in events, he often brings the First Lady along. The First Lady is not a public official. In a sense, she primarily represents a ceremonial and image role. Therefore, most First Ladies always try to fit the traditional role as much as possible. Currently, the most watched First Lady in the world is Mrs. Peng Liyuan of China. Recently, she accompanied President Xi Jinping of the People's Republic of China on a foreign visit, stepping onto the international stage.
Peng Liyuan is a famous Chinese soprano singer, a representative of contemporary Chinese ethnic vocal music, the first Chinese to earn a master's degree in ethnic vocal music, the youngest civilian general in the Chinese People's Liberation Army, and a well-loved military singer both inside and outside the army. She served as a member of the 8th, 9th, and 10th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, vice-chairperson of the All-China Youth Federation, one of the first "National First-Class Actors" of the General Political Department Song and Dance Troupe, recipient of the first batch of "government subsidies" awarded by the State Council, a council member of the Chinese Musicians Association, executive member of the All-China Women's Federation, visiting professor at the China Conservatory of Music, part-time professor at the Shanghai Normal University Music College, and artistic director of the General Political Department Song and Dance Troupe.
Peng Liyuan already has rich experience interacting with the outside world on the international stage. According to World Finance reports, Xi Jinping's wife Peng Liyuan is a well-known Chinese singer and opera performing artist. To promote Chinese ethnic vocal music and ethnic opera worldwide, she was the first to hold a solo concert abroad in Singapore in 1993 and has represented the country on numerous visits and performances around the world, covering more than 50 countries and regions. She is renowned overseas as China's "cultural ambassador." The opera "Mulan Poem," which she helped promote and starred in, was performed at the Lincoln Center in New York and the Vienna State Opera in Austria, winning the "Outstanding Artist" award from the Lincoln Center Committee and the "Artistic Outstanding Contribution Award" from the Austrian Federal Theatre Committee and Vienna State Opera.

Besides her artistic career, Peng Liyuan has long been committed to public welfare. She is a goodwill ambassador appointed by the World Health Organization to fight tuberculosis and AIDS, China's "AIDS Prevention Promoter," "Anti-Smoking Image Ambassador," and "Love Ambassador for Tomorrow" to prevent juvenile delinquency. In 2012, she also participated in the World AIDS Day publicity event in Beijing, where AIDS orphans affectionately called her "Mama Peng."
Dr. Margaret Chan, former Director-General of the World Health Organization, previously commented: "Ms. Peng becoming a WHO goodwill ambassador means her compassion, her voice, and her performance style will bring many benefits—not only to Chinese people but also to millions worldwide affected by these two diseases. The WHO will become her new international stage."

For the Russian people, the name Peng Liyuan is also familiar.
In early summer 2005, the General Political Department Song and Dance Troupe of the People's Liberation Army visited Russia, and Peng Liyuan sang traditional Russian songs loved by the Russian people in Russian, such as "Red Berries Bloom" and "In That Distant Place." In 2007, at the closing ceremony of the Russia "China Year" held in Moscow, Peng Liyuan performed again.
The chairman of the Russia-China Friendship Association, director of the Russian Academy of Sciences Far East Institute, and renowned sinologist Academician Zitalenko said: "I have seen her performance at the Kremlin. She has a very beautiful voice and is a charming, attractive, and beautiful woman. I believe such a couple will showcase more cultural temperament on the international stage, which will be more conducive to the success of international cooperation."

China's First Lady Goes Global
In fact, before Peng Liyuan, China's "First Ladies" have already played important roles in presenting China's external image.

According to official Chinese media, in September 1994, then-President Jiang Zemin and his wife Wang Yeping made friendly visits to Russia, Ukraine, and France. This was her first time accompanying her husband on a high-profile foreign visit. In the following years, Wang Yeping accompanied Jiang Zemin to visit Russia, Japan, France, Vietnam, the United States, and other countries. The Jiang couple left their footprints at the private residence of former French President Jacques Chirac and the private ranch of former U.S. President George W. Bush. Wang Yeping also enjoyed tea with Laura Bush, wife of George W. Bush, and watched Japanese kimono performances with the wife of former Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi.
On November 23, 1998, Nina Yeltsina, wife of then Russian President Boris Yeltsin, hosted a morning tea at the "President" Hotel in Moscow to welcome Wang Yeping, who was accompanying Jiang Zemin on his visit to Russia. Before the tea began, Wang Yeping, accompanied by Nina Yeltsina, visited a handicraft exhibition arranged on the third floor of the hotel specifically for Chinese VIPs. Wang Yeping carefully listened to the introduction of Russian handicraft experts about the crafts. During the visit, a small jewelry box caught Wang Yeping's attention, and she said it resembled the style of Chinese porcelain art. After the visit, Nina Yeltsina presented Wang Yeping with a picture album titled "Russian Folk Handicrafts."
What impressed the Chinese public even more was that on October 20, 2001, Wang Yeping, along with spouses of some member countries and economies attending the APEC summit in Shanghai, toured Yuyuan Garden in Shanghai. They enjoyed performances by Chinese artists including a traditional music ensemble "Silk and Bamboo Elegance," puppetry and suona "Hundred Birds Facing the Phoenix," a Yue opera excerpt "Dream of the Red Chamber - Meeting in the West Chamber," and a solo dance "Dan Role." After the performances, Wang Yeping took photos with guests and performers.
Liu Yongqing, wife of the recently retired President Hu Jintao, not only accompanied Hu Jintao on visits to Japan, the United Kingdom, Singapore, South Korea, Russia, the United States, Denmark, and other countries but also attended multilateral events such as the G20 summit. On November 7, 2010, Liu Yongqing visited the São Jorge Castle in Lisbon, Portugal. In the neighborhood opposite the castle, Liu Yongqing also had friendly conversations with local citizens. Liu Yongqing expressed that Portugal has a rich and colorful history and culture and has played a unique role in the exchange between Eastern and Western civilizations. She hopes the peoples of China and Portugal will carry forward traditional friendship, strengthen exchanges and understanding, and add vitality to the development of bilateral relations.
On November 5, 2006, Liu Yongqing watched the large-scale special performance "My Dream" by the China Disabled Persons' Art Troupe in Beijing together with the wives of heads of African delegations attending the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. On June 15 of the same year, Liu Yongqing met with the wives and distinguished guests of member states attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Shanghai. She watched Chinese children's calligraphy and art performances with them and visited the exhibition of traditional Chinese crafts.
Create an Affable and Open Image
Shen Yamei, Associate Researcher at the China Institute of International Studies, once stated that with the deepening of globalization, countries experience a blending of interests and clashes of viewpoints in their interactions. National image has risen to the level of national interest. The quality of a country's external image determines the extent to which it is accepted by the world, and the leader's image most directly reflects the national image.
Xi Jinping clearly understands this well. Since becoming China's Vice President in 2008, Xi has visited more than 40 countries and regions, covering all five continents. For example, during his visit to the United States early last year, besides the routine official meetings, he specifically went to Iowa, revisiting the town of Muscatine after 27 years to reunite with old friends. These arrangements caused a strong reaction in the U.S., and the affable and open image displayed by the Chinese leader was widely praised by American media.
Obviously, Xi Jinping intends to carry this style into future diplomacy.
Karina Kurikova, First Vice Chairwoman of the Russia-China Friendship Association, recalled to the media that in 1959, Xi Jinping's father, Xi Zhongxun, then Vice Premier and Secretary-General of the State Council, led a Chinese government delegation to visit the Soviet Union. One of her colleagues accompanied Xi Zhongxun's group to tour Moscow. The colleague said Xi Zhongxun was a very friendly person, interested in many things, "which perhaps means that when he returned home, he shared many of his experiences in the Soviet Union with his son. It is likely that Xi Jinping heard about the Soviet Union as a country from a very young age."
Kurikova revealed that this year marks the 100th anniversary of Xi Zhongxun's birth, and the Russia-China Friendship Association will hold commemorative activities. Her colleagues are collecting photos related to Xi Zhongxun's visit to the Soviet Union to create a special collection, which they plan to present to Xi Jinping.