When President Joe Biden engages with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Wednesday, every detail, no matter how small, takes center stage.
The nuances of their greetings, dining choices, seating arrangements, and even the presence of flowers or the type of water served—these seemingly minor elements become significant considerations. Senior administration officials describe the process as “pretty intense,” emphasizing the intricate navigation of delicate protocols.
Encounters between the U.S. president and a foreign leader always involve managing complex logistics, encompassing political and cultural dimensions. In this case, with the often-conflicting interests between Washington and Beijing, even the seemingly trivial aspects may carry substantial meaning.
The Chinese, known for their heightened sensitivity to etiquette, add an extra layer of intricacy to such diplomatic engagements. The potential impact of each occurrence or statement on the global order underscores the need for meticulous planning.
Bonny Lin, a senior fellow specializing in Asian security and director of the China Power Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, suggests there is likely “very detailed planning of the actual choreography of who enters a room where, if there will be pictures taken and all of that.”
