First Lady Melania Trump and Barron Trump receive the official White House Christmas Tree for 2017; a beautiful 19-and-a-half-foot Balsam fir from Wisconsin that White House officials picked out in September.
Jim and Diane Chapman, owners of a Wisconsin Christmas tree farm, won an annual contest by the National Christmas Tree Association and got to present the tree.
After the first lady and son Barron gave their symbolic approval, the tree will be taken to the Blue Room, where it will become the holiday showpiece -complete with a nativity scene- for a first-family who have vowed to put Christmas back in the center of the winter holidays.  WATCH:

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The most notable aspect amid President Trump’s granddaughter Arabella delivering a folk song in native Mandarin wasn’t the song itself, it was the response from Madame Peng Liyaun, the wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping. If you haven’t watched the video, you should.
The song was shared moments after President Trump delivered these remarks during a state dinner presented by President Xi and Madame Peng to honor the visit of President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump:

[…] “This moment in history presents both our nations with an incredible opportunity to advance peace and prosperity alongside other nations all around the world. In the words of a Chinese proverb, “We must carry forward the cause and forge ahead into the future.” I am confident that we can realize this wonderful vision.
[…] It is my hope that the proud spirits of the American and Chinese people will inspire our efforts to achieve a more just, secure, and peaceful world, a future worthy of the sacrifices of our ancestors, and the dreams of our children.
In a moment, we will view a video of my granddaughter, Arabella, reciting traditional Chinese songs and poetry about your country’s serene beauty and treasured customs. Our children so often remind us of our shared humanity and true dignity.” (link)

Arabella began her video by saying: “Hello, Grandpa Xi. Hello, Grandma Peng”, and then began to sing a story in Mandarin very familiar to the Chinese people. Exceptionally familiar to Madame Peng Liyaun who, along with being the wife of President Xi, was a folk singer and popular cultural icon herself.
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In the flight between Da Nang (APEC Summit) and Hanoi, Vietnam, for the official U.S. State visit, President Trump took questions from the traveling press pool and held an impromptu presser aboard Air-Force-One.
[TRANSCRIPT]  PRESIDENT TRUMP: Everybody okay? Everybody happy? Everybody healthy? Two more days — no problem.

It’s been a — I think it’s been a great trip. In certain ways, it’s been very epic. I think things have happened that have been really amazing. Prime Minister Abe came up to me just at the end, and he said that since you left South Korea and Japan, that those two countries are now getting along much, much better. That’s from Prime Minister Abe — that there’s been a real bonding between South Korea and Japan. So that was great.

And we had a time in China. You were there. Were most of you there? Jennifer?

♦Q We all were, sir.

PRESIDENT TRUMP: They say in the history of people coming to China, there’s been nothing like that. And I believe it.  Did you see the show? Did most of you see the show or part of the show afterwards? It was incredible.

♦Q We saw the opera but not the —
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First Lady Melania Trump left China and headed to Alaska. She visited military families and children at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson and spent time with the kids talking about their activities. The entire base was abuzz with smiling faces:

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First Lady Melania Trump visited the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall in China as the sun was starting to settle low on the horizon. It was windy and slightly cold as our First Lady signed a guest registry and was presented with a scroll from atop one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
A state official said that Yukun Zhang, chairman, Mutianyu Great Wall Travel Service Co., Ltd, received the first lady after the ride up on the cable car. After signing the guest registry Mrs. Trump made her way up a short flight of stairs to the Great Wall.

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As President Trump heads off to the APEC CEO summit, First Lady Melania Trump took time to visit the Beijing Zoo and see Panda Meng’er.   Upon arrival to the Zoo a group of Chinese students were present to welcome Melania and introduce her to Mr. Panda.
At first, Meng’er decided to play coy – but once he saw the First Lady, he appeared to become quite smitten.  Apparently, Melania has that impact on boy Pandas mostly.

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After a remarkably successful and consequential visit to China, President Trump and First Lady Melania will be departing Beijing today.  President Trump travels to Vietnam for the APEC CEO Summit, while First Lady Melania heads back to Washington DC.

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In the morning, President Donald J. Trump will depart Beijing, Peoples Republic of China en route to Da Nang, Vietnam. In the afternoon, the President will deliver remarks to the APEC CEO Summit. The President will then participate in a veterans meet and greet. In the evening, the President will participate in an official welcome reception for the APEC leaders and spouses followed by a gala dinner and cultural performance.
SCHEDULE BELOW:
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President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump attend the official state dinner in Beijing China as guests of President Xi Jinping and Madame Peng Liyaun. Video, Pictures and Transcript of President Trump speech below:

Pictures below:
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In 1989 the communist regime of China delivered one of the more infamous authoritarian displays of brutality in modern history. The Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, commonly known in mainland China as the June Fourth Incident, were student-led demonstrations in Beijing, the capital of the People’s Republic of China. In response the communist regime crushed the student uprising and hundreds were massacred.

Almost thirty years later, it’s now 2017, and in the exact same place, on the exact same streets, the Chinese government played the U.S. national anthem while broadcasting -for the first time ever- to their own country:  the welcoming ceremony of a state visit by a U.S. President and First Lady at the Grand Hall of the People’s Republic of China.
During prime time TV viewing (8:30pm EST) you would think this historic moment, this historic contrast (liberty crushed / liberty celebrated), should easily garner U.S. media attention.  You might think that, but you would be wrong.
Actual trumpets sounded the regalia as a U.S. President exited the limousine in front of the Great Hall; but not a single U.S. network, broadcast or cable, showed the historic moments of the ceremony when President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrived.
Thirty years ago, China was controlling broadcasts and hiding uncomfortable events on that location. In 2017 it’s the U.S. media apparatus doing the hiding. Has the worm turned 180°?
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President Trump and President Xi delivered remarks to the international audience in The Great Hall in Beijing China, and suddenly the word “remarks” seems inappropriate.
President Xi Jinping delivered the customary speech, albeit with nuance specific to the guest and audience, with a carefully worded assembly familiar to almost anyone who has read speeches and messaging approved by Beijing. As customary within the cunning assembly of those words; the state media apparatus then tells the consuming audience what they mean. Or at least that’s the familiar pattern.
However, then came Trump…
President Trump followed President Xi’s remarks with a speech as deliberate and unambiguous as the internal audience would ever fathom hearing.  President Trump respectfully pulled no punches in his direct and emphatic style; stating that China needed to engage in, well, to use China’s familiar wording, “correct thinking” on a variety of issues – including trade and their necessary responsibility toward North Korea.
No-one else could pull this off, except Trump. Not that way. The best part is always the emphatic part at the end.  President Trump gives the look saying: well, that’s that then; that’s all I’ve got to say about that... smiles bigly, and the diplomatic opponent tries not to look smaller than they were ten minutes earlier. [key word, ‘tries‘] WATCH:

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