A bite of diplomacy

Updated: 2014-07-17 17:43 (chinadaily.com.cn)

Views vary on the relationship between delicacy and diplomacy: Is the former icing on the cake or actually diplomacy itself? Francois de Calliéres writes in his book the Art of Diplomacy that the natural effect caused by good catering is like opening ceremony for developing friendship. Drinking alcohol can make people feel warm and comfortable, thus some important secrets may be revealed.

Styles of food diplomacy

Xi's dining diplomacy Chinese President Xi Jinping will host a banquet for leaders of Latin American nations during his visit to Brazil. Having multi-lateral talks during state visits is an innovation of China’s new leadership, which reflects the nation's increasing international influence. We take a look at banquets held by Xi at home and abroad.

Xi hosted a welcoming banquet for foreign guests during the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia summit in Shanghai in May.	Xi hosted a banquet for leaders of Caribbean countries, and vowed continued support for the Caribbean region, during his state visit to Trinidad and Tobago in June last year.
See more President Xi meets with leaders at summit	See more Xi offers Caribbean nations support

Roast duck diplomacy

Former US President Richard Nixon's special envoy and then US secretary of state Henry Kissinger first visited Beijing in 1971, with mission of arranging Nixon's visit to China.

With only 48 hours' stay in Beijing, Kissinger was arranged two formal meetings with 13 hours in total. So Zhou suggested having meal first.

The two reached an agreement after the meal, and arranged the details of Nixon’s visit. Both sides announced the news of Nixons visit to China on July 15,1971.

The main course of the meal for Kissinger is Peking roast duck. During the meal, Zhou talked about how to eat the course in various ways, and selected a nice piece of the dish for Kissinger personally. After lunch, Kissinger visited the operation room of Beijing roast duck accompanied by Zhou.

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Peking roast duck

Top 5 roast duck restaurants in Beijing

French food diplomacy

Chinese President Xi Jinping visited France in March, 2014 and received state banquet hosted by French President Francois Hollande in the Elysée Palace.


Guillaume Gomez, the new executive chef of the Elysée Palace tried to inquire about Xi's taste from his Chinese counterpart before Xi's visit.	As a return, Xi signed 50 business contracts during his visit in Paris, which worths 18 billion euros in total.


Menu of the banquet for President Xi	Appetizer: truffle goose liver with the 1997 Luc-Saluces sweet wine	Main course: Landes roast poultry with Viennese mushroom, country-style soft potatoes, 1997 Lafite red wine and the 2005 Amoue de Deutz champagne	Dessert: Cheese, chocolate and caramel ice cream

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A bite of diplomacy

Hamburger diplomacy

Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev was once reported eating hamburger with US President Barack Obama in a small restaurant after meeting in the White House. Media comments said that "Hamburger diplomacy" shows a recovered relation between the US and Russia.

A bite of diplomacy

US state banquet expense

Former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh

$ 572,187

Former Mexican president Felipe Calderon Hinojosa

$ 563,479

German prime minister
Angela Merkel

$ 215,883

Former South Korean president Lee Myung-bak

$ 203,053

Kimchi diplomacy

When photos show then South Korea's first lady Kim Yoon-ok feeding her Japanese counterpart Miyuki Hatoyama with kimchi, it was acknowledged that the Japan-South Korea relations which was in the doldrums due to historical and territorial disputes resumed normal.

The first time kimchi came to world was when western national athletes tried and attracted by the food at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

Sushi diplomacy

US President Barack Obama visited Japan in April, 2014. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe set an informal banquet for him at a decent sushi restaurant in Ginza.


Obama and Abe sit at the table, neither of them wearing ties. Abe filled Obama's glass. Both seem to be joyful judging from the expression on their faces. Obama claimed that it is the best sushi he ever had.	The seemingly relaxing dining is actually a trading negotiation. Both came straight to the point and stuck on TPP(Trans -Pacific Partnership Agreement) trading. The dining ends up with no breakthrough.

A bite of diplomacy

Sukiyabashi Jiro, the sushi restaurant Obama and Abe dined in is one of the two Michelin three-star restaurants in Japan. There are only ten seats and no toilets inside, yet reservations need to be made one month ahead of time. One meal in store costs at least 30,000 yen (about $300) and time limit is 15-30 minutes.

The restaurant becomes famous in the US due to the documentary Jiro: Dreams of Sushi. Jiro Ono, who is 89 years old, seldom serves in person now. Yet he made sushi by his own hand and broke the time limit for Obama.