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Cao Jiaxuan

China’s first lady Peng Liyuan has sparked online buzz over her English-language exchanges with the US first lady without an interpreter during her visit to Washington with President Xi Jinping this week.
On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump greeted Xi and Peng at Joint Base Andrews in a rare diplomatic move.
After Xi and Peng stepped off the plane, the two couples spoke with the help of interpreters.


But as they walked along the red carpet, Peng and Melania appeared to chat directly behind the two presidents. The pair smiled and spoke to each other until they reached the cameras for the start of the welcoming ceremony.
Peng appeared to ask about Barron Trump, Donald Trump’s youngest son and Melania’s only child, according to professional lip-reader Nicola Hickling who was quoted in a US tabloid. Peng then raised a hand towards her forehead in an apparent gesture about his height.
After their countries’ national anthems were played, Peng and Melania had another brief exchange. Peng appeared to mouth the word “wonderful” as the pair continued chatting without an interpreter for nearly a minute.
The White House said the two would visit the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art on Thursday after the state arrival ceremony. They are scheduled to attend a state dinner with their husbands that evening.
Peng, a renowned soprano who performed with the People’s Liberation Army, travelled internationally to promote Chinese music and culture.
Since Xi took office in 2013, she has accompanied him on numerous overseas visits and has taken part in public welfare campaigns.
Unlike the wives of many previous Chinese leaders, Peng has maintained a relatively visible public profile. She is called “Mama Peng” by Chinese internet users.
Her English-language experience stretches back years.


In 2015, she delivered a speech in English at a United Nations event in New York, speaking about girls’ education and gender equality.
“Education is about women and girls,” she said. “It is important for girls to go to school because they will become their children’s first teacher some day.”
Videos of the speech resurfaced on social media after her exchange with Melania.
“This is a video from 2015, and someone of Peng Liyuan’s level naturally has an English teacher, so her English must be even better now,” one post reads, pointing to her seemingly fluent conversation with Melania, who is also not a native English speaker.
“Notice how attentive and polite Madam Peng Liyuan was, waiting for Melania, turning and smiling, saying something to break the ice,” reads another.
While Peng’s latest exchange with Melania offered a public reminder that English remains a useful tool on the international stage, China is again debating the role of English in its education system.
This month, an internet-famous maths teacher Tang Jiafeng called for English to be stripped of its status as a core school subject. He argued that Chinese children were being pushed to learn English before mastering their native language.




Former Global Times editor-in-chief Hu Xijin, however, argued that foreign-language skills remained important in a globalised world. He said English could broaden people’s opportunities to take part in international exchanges.
The debate is not new. Although English remains one of the major subjects in China’s school system alongside Chinese and maths, policymakers in recent years have explored ways to reduce its importance in some areas.


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Video of Chinese and US first ladies goes viral as education experts debate the importance of English for students


Video of Chinese and US first ladies goes viral as education experts debate the importance of English for students.


First lady Peng Liyuan’s English takes the spotlight in exchange with Melania Trump

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Video of Chinese and US first ladies goes viral as education experts debate the importance of English for students

Video of Chinese and US first ladies goes viral as education experts debate the importance of English for students