Lining up to shake hands

Nearly 30 heads of state waited to shake hands with President Xi Jinping after he finished his speech at a United Nations summit meeting on development on Saturday, China News Service reported.

The scene surprised Wu Hongbo, the UN undersecretary-general for economic and social affairs. "There were too many people, and I couldn't even get close."

Liu Daqi, a UN employee, said that even UN staff members applauded Xi's speech.

"Representatives of other countries tried to take selfies with President Xi, which was not allowed for working staff members like me," Liu said. "Otherwise, I would have recorded this historical moment."

Xi was supposed to meet with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon after his speech but was intercepted by the crowd of national leaders, Wu said, showing how well-received his speech was.

Lang Lang thrilled

Chinese pianist Lang Lang told China Daily how he felt on meeting President Xi Jinping.

"I never would have guessed President Xi's hand was so warm and soft," Lang said over the phone.

"His hand is like a pianist's hand," said Lang, who was surprised at how easygoing the Chinese leader was, though they hardly talked. "He's the most gentle and kind top leader I've met. Like a real uncle. I felt close to him." Lang got up at 7 am. "I was so excited that I barely slept," he said. He was accompanied by his mother. "She dressed up this morning."

In 2013, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon designated Lang a UN Messenger of Peace with a focus on global education. Lang's job on Saturday was to welcome the Chinese president in his first UN appearance.

Shaanxi chefs invited

Chinese chef Liu Gang and pastry chef Wang Long from Xi'an's Hilton Hotel were invited to New York a month before President Xi Jinping checked into the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York.

They planned to treat the president to some traditional Shaanxi food including dumplings, noodles and a special Shaanxi cake named Guokui.

Liu and Wang even traveled to Fuping county, where Xi's father was born, in order to offer the president with an authentic taste of his hometown.

Panda 'envoy' returns

After a hiatus of 28 years, "friendly envoy" panda Basi from East China's Fujian province has "returned" to the United States in a 3D cartoon being shown on a big screen at Times Square in New York, Xinhua reported.

The cartoon Basi Says Hello to the World is being screened for 10 days from Sept 21 to Wednesday.

In 1987, the San Diego Zoo in California invited Basi, and she attracted about 2.5 million visitors during her six-month stay in the United States.

(China Daily 09/28/2015 page2)