Link to Xi Is Iowan's Key to Beijing

choi

Brian Spegele, Link to Xi Is Iowan's Key to Beijing. Wall Street Journal, Feb 4, 2017.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/lin ... the-city-1486117980

Quote:

"Three decades ago, the Dvorchak family of Muscatine, Iowa, hosted a young Chinese official named Xi Jinping at their home, where he slept among Star Trek toys in the bedroom of their son, Gary.

"The 1985 visit, part of a US-China agricultural exchange, made little impression on the young Iowan; he was 21 years old at the time and away at college, Mr [Gary] Dvorchak said

"Then Mr Xi visited the family again, in 2012—this time as a vice president preparing to take over as China's top leader. * * * [Gary moved to Beijing] with his wife and daughters in August 2013 [and has stayed there ever since. Xi and his wife hosted Gary's family and parents at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in April 2015]

My comment:
(a) Muscatine, Iowa
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscatine,_Iowa
(a city whose "population was 22,887 in the 2010 census"/ The name Muscatine is believed by some to have been derived from the Mascouten Native American tribe; 38 miles (61 km) from Iowa City [which is northwest of City of Muscatine] )
(b) Xi's wife 彭丽媛 is tall. In the 2015 photo, she is taller than American women. But Google says she is 5' 5".