Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping traded jokes about Michelle Obama

Feng Li/Getty Images

Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping traded jokes about Michelle Obama
(Image credit: Feng Li/Getty Images)

President Obama and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, had a side meeting before a nuclear summit in the Netherlands on Monday. The two leaders discussed a number of serious issues, including how to best resolve maritime disputes, Russia's actions in Ukraine, new allegations that the U.S. spied on Chinese telecom equipment maker Huawei, and the many ways China and the U.S. are ramping up cooperation. Obama and Xi also traded quips about First Lady Michelle Obama, who is currently touring China.

Obama thanked Xi for hosting his wife and daughters, then noted that the first lady "played some table tennis, although I think this was not the high level ping-pong diplomacy that we saw in the past." Xi responded that he had a message from Michelle: "She asked me to formally convey to you her best regards," he said, to laughter in the room.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us
Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.