A president to practice with ...
Source: Agencies |
January 22, 2011, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
TALK about a high level language exchange. Sasha, the nine-year-old daughter of United States President Barack Obama, wanted to test her developing Chinese skills while President Hu Jintao was in town.
Who did she want to talk Chinese to? The Chinese president himself, according to a White House official who recounted the story after a formal state dinner at the White House.
"The president pointed out last night at the state dinner that his daughter, Sasha, is a very young girl but her class is studying Chinese," Ben Rhodes, a White House deputy national security adviser, told a video conference with Chinese bloggers.
"She's under 10 years old and they're studying Chinese, and she wanted to have the chance to practice her Chinese with President Hu."
Sasha attended Hu's welcoming ceremony on Wednesday with friends and could be seen waving a Chinese flag as her father and Hu walked around the grounds. The two presidents paused when they reached Sasha and her friends behind the rope line.
"Not every (child) has the opportunity to try out their first phrases of Chinese with the president of China, but she had that chance," Rhodes said.
He said the anecdote illustrated Americans' desire to get to know China better with more people studying the country and doing business there.
Who did she want to talk Chinese to? The Chinese president himself, according to a White House official who recounted the story after a formal state dinner at the White House.
"The president pointed out last night at the state dinner that his daughter, Sasha, is a very young girl but her class is studying Chinese," Ben Rhodes, a White House deputy national security adviser, told a video conference with Chinese bloggers.
"She's under 10 years old and they're studying Chinese, and she wanted to have the chance to practice her Chinese with President Hu."
Sasha attended Hu's welcoming ceremony on Wednesday with friends and could be seen waving a Chinese flag as her father and Hu walked around the grounds. The two presidents paused when they reached Sasha and her friends behind the rope line.
"Not every (child) has the opportunity to try out their first phrases of Chinese with the president of China, but she had that chance," Rhodes said.
He said the anecdote illustrated Americans' desire to get to know China better with more people studying the country and doing business there.
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