China State Dinner PHOTOS: White House Releases Behind-The-Scenes Pictures

The next best thing to the state dinner actually happening is when the White House releases behind-the-scenes photos of the state dinner, offering a much more intimate perspective than any other outlet. See our favorites pictures below.

Not that our coverage was so shabby: it's not too late to see Michelle Obama's Alexander McQueen gown up-close or the other state dinner arrivals, like Jackie Chan, Barbra Streisand, Anna Wintour and Vera Wang and decide who among them was best-dressed.

Comments

[Doan Tran]

05:50 AM on 01/28/2011

Hopefully something good for America came out of that dinner.

[mike72]

12:00 PM on 01/28/2011

It will.

There will be lots of negative sayers and doers out there trying to disrupt the positive coorperation between US and China, the anchoring core of the stability of the world. But wisdom and common sense will prevail for a better tomorrow with peace and sustainable growth.

Yes there will be lots to adjust and adapt but all in all, the world is moving forward positively, as long as our perception, our understanding continues to move forward positively.

[RosslynRose]

11:59 AM on 01/25/2011

I love Jill's gown, especially from the back. Her accessories look great too. Beautiful!

[MikeyJaii]

01:56 AM on 01/25/2011

All a class act.

[americaisracist]

12:41 AM on 01/25/2011

look at pic #2 the chinese president looks absolutely appalled at Dee Dee Bridgewater's singing. look at the guy to his right

[ghs246]

04:03 PM on 01/24/2011

mrs. bidens dress was awesome...especially the back with shiny clear v-shaped design. she always looks great.

[RosslynRose]

12:00 PM on 01/25/2011

Yes it was. Very classy, understated and well done.

[Vince Weiguang Li]

03:25 AM on 01/24/2011

How about the huge insult given in the face of the President and assembled dignitarie­s. An insult made all the better, as the American audience did not know they were being insulted, yet all Chinese watching the event would instantly know of the insult, approved by the CCP.

A Chinese Pianist , Lang Lang, played a song to the notable dignitarie­s.
The Song was a famous anti-Ameri­can propaganda melody from the Korean War: the theme song to the movie “Battle on Shangganli­ng Mountain. Wherein, US troops are the enemy, and are referred to as Jackals, that are greeted with hunting rifles.

The movie and the tune are widely known among Chinese, and the song has been a leading piece of anti-Ameri­can propaganda by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for decades. CCP propaganda has always referred to the Korean War as the “movement to resist America and help [North] Korea.” The message of the propaganda is that the United States is an enemy—in fighting in the Korean War the United States’ real goal was said to be to invade and conquer China. The victory at Triangle Hill was promoted as a victory over imperialis­ts.

The new Chinese stealth bomber, using stolen US technology was unveiled when Gates was in China, now this insult! Clearly, the Chinese now regard us as impotent dolts, worthy of disdain. This is not a good developmen­t for world peace.

http://www­.theepocht­imes.com/n­2/content/­view/49822­/

[4farms]

05:22 AM on 01/24/2011

And how incredible that no one in the mainstream media caught it, or if they did, cared to report about it.

Lang Lang - should be blacklisted as a performer here in this "jackal" of a country. I am sure he gets well paid for his performances in the country he chose to insult in front of the President

[dbl48]

10:52 PM on 01/24/2011

L*E
Right-Wing Media Invent Controvers­y Over Pianist's Performanc­e At State Dinner
http://med­iamatters.­org/resear­ch/2011012­40047

[4farms]

05:23 AM on 01/24/2011

Thank you for posting this - too bad the main media didnt report on it.

[Jen Johnson51]

02:35 AM on 01/24/2011

hmmmmmmmm!
Oscar De La Renta 2010 and 2011 lines seems to be have fashioned and influenced by Mrs. O. style!!!.
take a look and let me know if you agree!

http://www.oscardelarenta.com/?folderId=/shoponline/readytowear/dresses

http://www.oscardelarenta.com/?folderId=/shoponline/readytowear/knits

[AlexVonHussein]

05:27 PM on 01/24/2011

You are soooooooo right! I didnt even need to flip around. But its really good compliment. The outfits have a very deep theme and expressions which the first lady likes. I would like to see michelle in one of those. The materials and colours are wonderful

[Fbigdeal]

12:41 AM on 01/24/2011

Is there no option to edit or correct a post.. guess once you press "post comment" there is no turning back..

Is there an edit option?

[SparkyDash]

03:16 AM on 01/24/2011

No, you're committed. But if you ask because of a mistake, no worries, we've all been there :)

[Fbigdeal]

11:09 AM on 01/24/2011

aww.. thanks sparky!

[Fbigdeal]

12:39 AM on 01/24/2011

Curious about those paintings on # 5 and 10? are those the Pres. private collection and does anyone know the artist? I curious.

[caribindian]

11:13 PM on 01/23/2011

So communist China gets a dinner in the state room...and much more...what's our beef with Cuba again; does Castro get to have a state dinner too or is the whole communist thing passé??? China = communist country (but we do owe our hide to them); Cuba = communist island...just asking but no response expected...

[traceymarie]

12:35 AM on 01/24/2011

the Cuban ban needs to be lifted.

[traceymarie]

12:36 AM on 01/24/2011

did you feel that way when repubs were in office?

[AGAnderson1]

12:40 AM on 01/24/2011

Every President has state dinners, get over it.

[xlntcat]

04:08 AM on 01/24/2011

Yes, it is a long time requirement of the office of the Presidency and all other nations reciprocate.  I wonder if their citizens are so filled with self-pity.

[DoTheMath]

10:27 PM on 01/23/2011

The first lady looks fabulous.

[thepill]

08:26 PM on 01/23/2011

Mrs. Obama is smoking in that dress!

[ZenCrusader]

08:00 PM on 01/23/2011

I applaud our President and First Lady. They have true class and grace and I am VERY proud of them !

[Sweetbay]

07:13 PM on 01/23/2011

When I first saw the First Lady standing on the North Portico steps I gasped at how beautiful she looked, from her magnificent gown, the color, the print, the style...to her elegant hairdo and makeup.  Just perfect.

And, who can't love those adorable girls? 

Kudos to Gov. Christie and his wife on accepting the invitation to attend.

Kudos to Bush's Secretary of Labor, Elaine Chao and her husband on accepting the invitation to attend.

Thumbs down on Speaker Boehner's declining to attend a very important and significant event.  I guess he doesn't yet understand his role as leader of an equal branch of government and 3rd in line to the Presidency.  His behavior was that of a petulant teenager.

[Dovescorner]

07:58 PM on 01/23/2011

I wonder if Oscar De Larente got over her dress? He was not pleased with it or the others.

[f0rTyLeGz]

09:51 PM on 01/23/2011

Those photos are so comforting for me. That is the kind of information that used to be on the front page. Heads of States and the welcomes they receive was telling... Im glad that it still is!