Chinese President Xi Jinping's U.S. visit has not only grabbed the headlines of American media, but also thrilled hundreds of students in a West Coast high school. [Special coverage]
The Lincoln High School in Tacoma, Washington is expected to receive the Chinese head of state during his first state visit to the U.S.. It was actually a revisit -- Xi toured Tacoma a couple of decades ago when he was a senior official of Fujian Province.
The planned trip conveys an important message to the American public: the Chinese president wants to cement ties not only with the White House, but also of the youngest generation of the American people.
In Seattle, the opening leg of his U.S. tour, President Xi will also meet with American tech titans and business bigwigs, including top executives of Apple Inc., Microsoft Corp. and Boeing Co.. Bringing with him is a large team of Chinese star companies across a broad range of industries.
The round-table with American and Chinese business elites would signal Xi's concrete support for closer economic ties between the world's two biggest economies. Entrepreneurs from both sides can have direct dialogue with the Chinese president on issues such as market access and economic reforms.
Before moving to Washington D.C., Xi's itinerary in the Washington State demonstrates a clear emphasis on interaction with the American people. Known for his common touch and pragmatic style at home, President Xi is set to impress the American public with the charm and appeal unprecedented for a Chinese leader.
In fact, Xi is not new to most Americans. He has visited the U.S. six times in person, perhaps more than any of his predecessors. The first trip was thirty years ago in 1985, when he was just a junior official leading a five-person agricultural delegation to Muscatine, Iowa. Barack Obama called Xi "no stranger to the United States."
The whirlwind of upcoming meetings with the American people will be a important asset in Xi's diplomacy to the United States. The Chinese president is ready to convince the American public that China is a friend and partner of their country.
The same message will be delivered in Xi's meeting with Obama at the White House. Despite recent frictions over cyber and security issues, the Chinese president will focus on converging interests and push forward the construction of a new model of major-country relations with the United States.
