Donald Trump was apparently captivated by the “beautiful” roses in the garden of the Communist Party’s leadership compound when he visited Beijing in May.
It was a relaxed moment between the US and Chinese leaders – otherwise locked in disputes ranging from trade to technology and Taiwan – that led to a new opportunity for gift diplomacy between the rival powers.
Strolling around the former imperial garden at Zhongnanhai with Xi Jinping, Trump was so taken with a China rose variety in bloom that he asked his host for some to be sent to Washington.
“These are the most beautiful roses anyone’s ever seen,” Trump told reporters at the time. “I asked the president, ‘Could you get me some for the Rose Garden?’ And he said ‘yes’. I’ve never seen roses so big!”