Mixing food and politics:
When leadership steps out to lunch
| Premier Special |
Premier Special
Time:
April 11, 2014
Who:
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang
Location:
A convenience store across from the Bureau of Industry and Commerce in Haikou, Hainan Province
Food:
Two packs of coconut snacks
Total cost:
19 yuan ($3.04)
News:
Development is China's primary task: Premier Li
| Xi-Lien Special |
Xi-Lien Special
Time:
February 18, 2014
Who:
Chinese President Xi Jinping, Kuomintang Honorary Chairman Lien Chan
Location:
Family feast at Yangyuan Hall, Diaoyutai State Guesthouse
Food:
Yangrou Paomo, or bread and mutton soup, or stewed lamb meat served with bits of steamed bread.
Roujiamo, or finely chopped pork stuffed in baked buns.
Biang Biang noodles are also called “belt noodles” because of their width. Biang Biang noodles are often topped with fried eggs, tomatoes, beef, and lots of chili peppers.
News:
Xi says cross-Straits talks should be equal
| Presidential Special |
Presidential Special
Time:
December 28, 2013
Who:
Chinese President Xi Jinping and entourages
Location:
Qing-Feng Steamed Dumpling Shop, Yuetan branch, Beijing
Food:
Half a dozen steamed buns with a pork and scallion filling, plus side dishes of vegetables, stewed pork liver and intestines
Total cost: 21 yuan ($3.46)
Impact on China’s stock market:
Quanjude (002186.SZ), mistakenly thought to be the concept stock of Qing-Feng Steamed Dumpling Shop chain where Xi dined, hit its limit-up price after trading opened on December 30. However, Quanjude does not hold direct shares in Qingfeng Steamed Buns, according to Caixin reports. Quanjude stock prices had risen by 4.83 percent at market close, according to ifeng.com.
News:
Encounter President Xi at a roadside eatery in Beijing
Xi impresses with steamed bun lunch
Restaurant crowded after President Xi visit
Daily special:
Public eats up Xi’s trip to steamed buns shop
| PM Special |
Dishes ordered by Cameron Photo: NEWSSC.org
Prime Minister Special
Time:
December 4, 2013
Who:
British Prime Minister David Cameron and entourages
Location:
Century City New International Convention & Exhibition Center, Chengdu, Sichuan Province
Food:
"Two-flavored" hotpot soup, made from tofu, beef, mutton, cilantro-mixed meatballs, potatoes, bamboo root slices, green lettuce, cabbage, mushrooms, cabbages and glutinous rice cake with brown sugar.
Total cost:
877 yuan ($140)
Result:
The hot pot restaurant is now offering an 888 yuan Cameron Combo, which includes all the dishes enjoyed by the British PM during his recent visit to the city.
Cao Jing, the waitress who served Cameron, has since become quite popular at the restaurant. The restaurant now charges an extra 1,000 yuan gratuity to sit at one of her tables.
News:
Cameron hot pot combo offered in Chengdu's restaurant
| VP Special |
US Vice President Joe Biden and his staff eat at Yao Ji Stewed Liver, a small restaurant set in a traditional alley near Beijing's Drum Tower on August 18, 2011. Photo: weibo.com
VP Special
Time:
August 18, 2011
Who:
US Vice President Joe Biden and entourages
Location:
Yao Ji Stewed Liver restaurant, in a traditional alley near Beijing's Drum Tower
Food:
Five bowls of black bean sauce noodles, 10 steamed buns, smashed cucumber salad, mountain yam salad, shredded potatoes and Coca Cola.
Total cost:
79 yuan ($12.6)
Background:
Biden's official visit to China comes on the heels of an unprecedented US credit rating downgrade, which created global uncertainty about the stability of the dollar. At the end of June 2011, China remained the largest foreign holder of US debt with around $1.165 trillion in US Treasury bonds.
News:
Chinese bloggers parse meaning of US VP's noodle meal