The two-day Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) took place this year in Beijing, resulting in a few national news story made out of a few select leaders, President Obama, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The APEC has a tradition that the various world leaders wear the tradition cultural outfits of the host country, so that this year silk robes modeled off the Zhongshan suit that was made more popular by Chairman Mao Zedong were worn.
The drama, however, was what made world news. While Jinping was distracted talking to Obama, Vladimir Putin put his coat on the shoulders of Jinping’s wife. This caused an outcry in Chinese social media saying that this made it appear that Jinping was neglecting his wife or that Putin was more of a gentleman so that the Chinese government started to censor the incident’s exposure.
Obama also chewed gum while arriving at a formal banquet, causing some to call it out as disrespectful. “We made this meeting so luxurious, with singing and dancing,” said Yin Hong, a professor at one of Beijing’s most prominent universities, “but see Obama, stepping out of his car chewing gum like an idler.”
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