Xi, Obama set a new benchmark in diplomacy
Xi and Obama's casual style exemplified by stroll - and a redwood seat
Barack Obama sent off Xi Jinping with something not every world leader has: the huge wooden park bench on which they sat to chat.
"President Obama's gift to President Xi was a custom-designed park bench. The bench is inscribed on the front with the dates of this visit, and, in Mandarin, the fact that the bench is made of California redwood," the White House said.
Out on a stroll of the grounds of Sunnylands, where the leaders held their talks, Xi and Obama sat for a moment together on the bench.
The surprise gift triggered some discussions among Weibo users on the mainland.
"It shortens the distance between two hearts by sitting on the same bench," blogger Ping Zhongqi quipped. Blogger Mo Duqiu was impressed by the natural smiles on the men's faces. "This is such a great photo," he said.
Historically, California redwood is a valuable tree species. In 1972, when former president Richard Nixon's visited China, he gave several strains of sequoia trees as a gift.
The two leaders appear to have more in common than Obama had with former president Hu Jintao , who often appeared stiff and formal in meetings. Both men are in their 50s and share a love of sports: swimming and soccer on Xi's side, basketball and golf on Obama's. Both are married to glamorous, high-profile wives who have played a strong role in shaping their images.