Peng Liyuan: From folk singer to China's first lady

Chinese President Xi Jinping has arrived in Washington for his first state visit in 11 years, with high-stakes talks with US President Donald Trump expected to focus on trade, technology, artificial intelligence, and bilateral relations. Accompanying him is First Lady Peng Liyuan, who has her own programme of cultural diplomacy. Peng, born in 1962 in Shandong province, rose to fame as a folk and soprano singer after joining the People’s Liberation Army music band in 1980. She married Xi in 1987, and was initially better known than her husband, with a running joke asking who Xi was beyond being "Peng Liyuan's husband." As first lady, Peng has served as a WHO goodwill ambassador and UNESCO special envoy, and is known for her fashion, drawing comparisons to Michelle Obama. She is also reported to wield significant unofficial influence in Chinese administrative and military affairs.