Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, hosted Elke Budenbender, spouse of German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, at a tea reception in Beijing, spotlighting expanded bilateral ties that range from arts initiatives to cross-continental travel routes spanning across Turkey.
The meeting occurred on Friday following Steinmeier’s official visit to China between October 27 and October 31. Recalling her 2017 trip to Germany alongside President Xi, Peng expressed satisfaction with bilateral friendship and commended Budenbender’s dedicated work in advocating for women’s and children’s rights. During the gathering, both figures watched a short film showcasing people-to-people engagements between both nations.
Addressing the broader bilateral relationship, Peng noted the mutual advantages gained through joint initiatives in education and creative fields.
Peng stated that the two nations have established and benefited from rich and diverse collaborations in fields such as education and culture, expressing her hope that the Chinese and German peoples would maintain continuous cultural exchanges, enhance mutual understanding, and build stronger bonds of friendship.
Budenbender offered gratitude for the reception and recognized Peng’s sustained efforts in fostering bilateral civil ties.
Budenbender thanked Peng for her warm hospitality, praised her contributions to cultural exchange and people-to-people interaction between the two nations, and stated that she was ready to contribute to stronger cooperation in related fields and a deeper friendship between both peoples.
Educational and Artistic Initiatives Across Borders
Bilateral interactions have grown into an integrated network covering language, performance, and travel. The Leibniz Confucius Institute in Hanover continues to organize speech contests, summer camps, and remote language pairings for German students. Concurrently, 80 students and teachers traveling with the Bonn-based Burg Chinese Choir visited Yunnan province, mastering over 60 Chinese songs while participating in the Yi Torch Festival.
Public showcases have also multiplied across German municipalities. Berlin’s Rotes Rathaus hosted its Chinese New Year gala for the 12th consecutive year with 300 guests, while Frankfurt featured Chaoshan Yingge dancers and Ansai waist drummers during its Spring Festival fair. Duisburg welcomed attendees with programs merging tai chi with electronic music, while creators gathered in Chengdu to examine the intersection of technology and art.
Bilateral mobility expanded as well, highlighted by promotional campaigns in Berlin drawing over 40 German tourism professionals. A German travel agency coordinated a 38-caravan overland journey crossing Turkey en route to China, supported by Beijing’s visa-free policy for German citizens throughout 2026.
