5 of China’s most memorable diplomatic gifts to world leaders
Why North Korean leader Kim Jong-un got Moutai liquor, US President Richard Nixon received two giant pandas and two other US presidents took home bikes
Last month, reclusive North Korean leader Kim Jong-un made an unannounced visit to meet China’s President Xi Jinping in Beijing.
The trip was kept secret and footage of his visit was not publicised until he had left China.
Despite both leaders trying to keep the visit low profile, China’s social media was abuzz with discussion about the visit, with comments focusing on a range of topics, including denuclearisation, the greeting Kim would have received – and the types of diplomatic gifts he could have received.
The giving of diplomatic gifts has a long history, while the gifts that are presented between nations can mean many different things. Sometimes, they are a symbol of peace, while on other occasions they can lead to misunderstandings and cause embarrassment.
Here we take a look at five of the memorable diplomatic gifts China has given to world leaders over the years.
Some of the presents were extravagant, even priceless, while some others were not expensive in monetary terms, although their value was greater than a mere price tag.
After all, the most precious gift, would be to safeguard peace throughout the world.