Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, floated a lighthearted idea Thursday for how President Trump could entertain Chinese President Xi Jinping during the Chinese leader’s state visit to Washington: a trip to Panda Express.
“I won’t be a bit surprised if he decides at one point to say, ‘President Xi, let’s go visit Panda Express and see what you think of their broccoli beef,'” Lee said during an appearance on Fox Business’ “Kudlow.”
“I’d love to see that happen,” he added.
The Utah Republican offered up the popular American Chinese fast food chain while defending Trump’s treatment of Xi. Host Larry Kudlow had asked whether the president was being “too nice” to his Chinese counterpart.
Lee pushed back on that notion, praising Trump’s approach to hosting world leaders.
“One of the many things I love about President Trump is that he is the consummate host,” Lee said. “When a foreign dignitary, whether from China or anywhere else, comes into town, he likes to show them around.”
According to Lee, Trump makes an effort to learn what his guests are interested in and “makes sure he shows them a good time when they’re visiting.”
That hospitality was on full display this week. Trump personally greeted Xi at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday when the Chinese leader arrived in the U.S. It is a gesture that not every arriving foreign leader receives.
On Thursday, Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, were given a formal welcome at the White House. The visit marks Xi’s first official state visit to Washington in more than a decade.
The elaborate reception comes as the U.S. and China are engaged in high-stakes talks on several major fronts, including trade, artificial intelligence and Taiwan.
The pageantry did not stop with the formal welcome. Trump and first lady Melania Trump also hosted Xi and his wife for a state dinner in the White House East Room.
The guest list for the evening was a who’s who of the world’s top tech and business leaders. Among those in attendance were OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Nvidia co-founder Jensen Huang.
Lee’s Panda Express remark offered a lighter moment amid a visit centered on serious negotiations between the two global powers. But the senator’s broader point was a defense of the president’s style. Rather than viewing Trump’s warm welcome as going easy on Beijing, Lee cast it as part of Trump’s habit of showing visiting dignitaries around and making sure they enjoy their time in the country.
Whether Xi ever gets a taste of the chain’s broccoli beef remains to be seen. For now, the Chinese leader’s visit has been marked by a personal greeting on the tarmac, a formal White House welcome and a star-studded state dinner, all while the two nations work through talks on trade, artificial intelligence and Taiwan.
[READ MORE: CNN’s Scott Jennings Breaks With Trump After White House Blocks Network From Xi State Dinner]
