First Ladies’ Soft Power Diplomacy: How Gendered Statecraft Shapes US-China Tensions Behind Closed Doors
Original framing: “How Peng Liyuan and Melania Trump opened a parallel track in US-China diplomacy” — South China Morning Post
Indigenous diplomatic traditions, such as those of the Haudenosaunee or Māori, emphasize collective decision-making, oral histories, and the inclusion of all community members in negotiations. These models contrast with the elite-driven, gendered diplomacy seen in the US-China interactions, where decisions are made by a select few and framed as apolitical cultural exchanges. The absence of Indigenous perspectives in this narrative reinforces the erasure of alternative diplomatic frameworks that prioritize equity, sustainability, and communal consent over state power dynamics.
The interactions between Peng Liyuan and Melania Trump are not merely 'personal' or 'spontaneous' but are deeply embedded in a historical pattern of using gendered diplomacy to soften systemic conflicts between the US and China.
This tactic, rooted in patriarchal statecraft traditions, obscures the need for structural reforms in trade, technology, and human rights while positioning elite women as cultural ambassadors of harmony. By ignoring Indigenous models of inclusive diplomacy, marginalized voices, and the trickster-like performativity of these exchanges, the original narrative reinforces a Western-centric, elite-driven framework that prioritizes appearances over substance. To move forward, US-China diplomacy must adopt more transparent, equitable, and participatory models—drawing from both non-Western traditions and the demands of those most affected by these conflicts.