Chinese aesthetics abound at Washington summit, from Mao suits to peony trousers

Throughout President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Washington, Chinese aesthetics were not confined to first lady Peng Liyuan, long an ambassador of Chinese fashion, but also appeared in the outfits of other senior Chinese officials and even members of the US delegation.

At the state dinner in the White House on Thursday, Xi and other senior Chinese officials – including his chief of staff Cai Qi and foreign minister Wang Yi – wore black Mao suits.

Notably, while Xi has regularly worn the attire at major diplomatic events, other members of his delegation typically opt for Western suits.

In China, the style is known as a Zhongshan suit, after the early 20th century Chinese revolutionary Sun Yat-sen who popularised the style.