Xi Jinping's wife Peng Liyuan commands attention in fiery red gown at White House state dinner

Xi Jinping's wife Peng Liyuan opted for a fiery red gown at tonight's state dinner hosted at the White House.

The 63-year-old, who has been First Lady of China since 2012, commanded attention as she arrived at the festivities in Washington, DC, on Thursday evening.

Madame Peng's striking floor-length dress boasted long sleeves, mandarin collar, small v-neckline and circle skirt. 

In Chinese culture, the color red symbolizes good luck, happiness, prosperity and vitality.

She accessorized the look with a black clutch bag, modest pearl necklace and matching earrings. 

For his part, Chinese President Xi, 73, opted for a dark Zhongshan suit with a turn-down closed collar.

The duo offered muted smiles toward the crowds as they posed for photographs alongside President Donald Trump and Melania Trump. 

Madame Peng's ensemble was a far cry from Melania's own fashion choices after she donned a monochrome look complete with a white statement shirt and black embossed high-waisted pants.

Xi Jinping's wife Peng Liyuan opted for fiery red gown at tonight's state dinner hosted at the White House

The Trumps are hosting the Chinese delegation for a state dinner in the East Room, where both presidents are set to deliver remarks.

Top Cabinet officials and American CEOs are all in attendance, including executives from Apple, NVIDIA, Microsoft, Tesla and more. 

Tonight's lavish black-tie event is set to be one of the most star-studded evenings of the administration, offering a glitzy opportunity to smooth over notoriously fierce geopolitical friction with the Asian superpower.

Behind closed doors in the East Room tonight, Melania's office says they personally orchestrated the evening's extravagant arrangements, transforming the space with red linens, Reagan-era vermeil, and overflowing urns of crimson dahlias – a striking aesthetic that the First Lady notes 'draws on the color red's longstanding cultural significance throughout Chinese history.'

As the leaders and their guests dine, there will be several performances, including military musicians and inauguration tenor Christopher Macchio setting a grand soundtrack.

Inside the dining room, guests are raising glasses of Schramsberg 'Blanc De Noirs' for a symbolic toast, reviving the historic 1972 'Toast to Peace' between Richard Nixon and Premier Zhou Enlai in China.

White House chefs fused classic American ingredients with subtle Asian flavors across a lavish multi-course menu.

Xi arrived at Trump's presidential airport, Joint Base Andrews, for a welcome ceremony on Wednesday evening. 

The 63-year-old, who has been First Lady of China since 2012, commanded attention as she arrived the festivities in Washington, DC, on Thursday evening

Madame Peng's ensemble was a far cry from Melania's own fashion choices after she donned a monochrome look complete with a white statement shirt and black embossed high-waisted pants 

Trump personally greeted Xi at the airport ceremony despite the Chinese president not welcoming the US president at the airport during his trip to Beijing.

'He decided to do it because they have a great relationship,' First Lady Melania Trump said previously, 'and we need to welcome them with the most respect.'

Earlier today, the Trumps welcomed Xi and his wife Madame Peng to the White House with an arrival ceremony on the State Floor before a military review in the Rose Garden and subsequent bilateral meetings.

But tonight's state dinner is not the final event of the visit.

On Friday, the Trumps will host the first couple of China for tea at the White House before doing a tour of the National Archives, where they will view key US founding documents.

Xi and Madame Peng will then depart from Joint Base Andrews.