bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

Nectar Gan

China’s popular first lady Peng Liyuan further raised her public profile today when she became the first Chinese presidential spouse to attend a massive military parade alongside her husband on the Tiananmen rostrum today.
President Xi Jinping and his first lady, who wore a striking red dress and heels, greeted all foreign guests at an area north of Tiananmen Square around 9am. 
After a group photo, the couple led the guests to Tiananmen Square to await the start of the parade.

Since the republic’s founding, China has held 14 military parades to celebrate its October 1 National Day. In past parades, the honour of watching the march from the rostrum was reserved solely for party, government and military leaders as well as some special delegates.
Peng, 53, is widely seen as China’s most high-profile first lady since the Cultural Revolution.
Since President Xi came to power in late 2012, Peng has attracted significant public attention and sparked waves of media frenzy while touring abroad with Xi or receiving foreign guests at home.

An army soprano known for belting out patriotic folk songs, Peng was already a household name long before her husband became China’s most powerful man. She gained popularity from her regular appearances on television programmes as well as the annual CCTV New Year’s Eve Galas.
In contrast to the wives of previous Chinese leaders Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao, who stayed largely behind the scenes, Peng quickly became a media darling, charming the public with her “elegance” and “sense of style” and grabbing headlines with her chic outfits designed by homegrown brands.
The first lady has also participated in various charity events, with her amicable image earning her the affectionate nickname of “Mother Peng”.

In 2011, she was appointed the World Health Organisation’s Goodwill Ambassador for Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. Last year, she was designated a Unesco special envoy for the advancement of girls’ and women’s education.
The party propaganda machine has also played up the loving relationship between the president and his first lady.
Last year, a music video titled Xi Dada Loves Peng Mama, comprising photos and illustrations of the couple and their interactions, went viral online, chalking up 150 million views in just three weeks. Dada is a reference to daddy while mama means mother in Chinese.

 


Malaysian king tells Xi Jinping nation will work with China to keep South China Sea peace

A different mood as Xi breaks the ice with Biden in San Francisco, 6 years after Mar-a-Lago and Trump

History will be kind to the meticulous and curious Jiang Zemin

Peng Liyuan joins diplomatic whirl in first overseas trip since coronavirus pandemic began

Peng Liyuan

First lady indeed! Media darling Peng Liyuan is China's first presidential spouse to watch military parade from Tiananmen rostrum

China's President Xi Jinping and his first lady Peng Liyuan are the picture of bliss as they arrive in Auckland on a trip to New Zealand last year. Photo: AFP

Peng Liyuan, who has charmed the Chinese public with her amiability, poses for a selfie with a local in Shaanxi province's Liangjiahe village. Photo: SCMP Pictures

Peng mingles with locals in the city of Yanan in Shaanxi province, where President Xi worked as a peasant in his youth. Photo: SCMP Pictures

Peng attends a publicity event at Hainan University as a World Health Organisation goodwill ambassador earlier this year. Photo: Xinhua

Xi and Peng now have a song of their own

Chinese President Xi Jinping (2nd Left) and his wife, Peng Liyuan, pose for photos with New Zealand Governor-General Jerry Mateparae  and his wife, Janine Grenside, in Wellington, New Zealand. Photo: Xinhua

China's first lady Peng Liyuan's fashion style has made her a global sensation

China's first lady Peng Liyuan on the diplomatic circuit in (clockwise from above left) Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago; Pretoria, South Africa; Dusseldorf, Germany; Brussels, Belgium; and Beijing, with Michelle Obama. Photos: AP, AFP, Reuters

Peng Liyuan, with husband President Xi Jinping, wears a dress by designer Ma Ke. 

China’s new first lady Peng Liyuan an instant internet hit

Chinese President Xi and First Lady Peng wave as they arrive at Moscow's Vnukovo airport. Photo: Reuters

News

China

Politics

70th anniversary of Japan's WW2 surrender

New | First lady indeed! Media darling Peng Liyuan is China's first presidential spouse to watch military parade from Tiananmen rostrum