Two presidents stroll the grounds of chateau before enjoying Pilsner beer, pheasant

Lany Chateau, built four centuries ago in the countryside outside of Prague, provided a majestic setting to mark President Xi Jinping's historic visit to the Czech Republic.

Xi, invited by Czech President Milos Zeman, is the first Chinese president to make a state visit to the country since the establishment of diplomatic ties 67 years ago.

He is also the first head of state invited to Lany Chateau, the summer residence of Czech presidents. The word "lany" in Czech means "fields" or "tracts (of land)".

Xi arrived at the chateau at about 5 pm on Monday and both leaders, wearing no ties, walked up to the second-floor balcony to take in the rural vista.

Then they strolled around the grounds, inspected a renovated greenhouse and planted a ginkgo tree, a gift from Xi to the Czech president, in the chateau's garden. "The tree of friendship should be jointly irrigated by China and the Czech Republic," Xi said.

During his visit to China in 2014, Zeman presented Xi with an apple tree sapling, a symbol of cooperation in the Czech Republic.

A plaque in Czech and Chinese marked the tree planting ceremony, and Zeman told Xi he would always water the tree when he comes to Lany, the Prague Daily Monitor reported.

The Czech president then treated his Chinese guest to traditional cuisine and Pilsner beer for the first dinner of the visit.

The Prague Daily Monitor reported that Zeman's spokesman Jiri Ovcacek presented the menu on Twitter. Starters consisted of special Lany meat paste and local pastry, followed by pheasant noodle soup. The main course was pheasant with bacon, noodles and potatoes, followed by a variety of sherbets as a dessert.

Ovcacek also posted a photo of the gift presentation, during which Zeman received an armchair and a china set.

Ren Yuanzhe, an associate professor of diplomatic research at China Foreign Affairs University, said that private dinners for leaders are only arranged when the relationship between two countries is close.

"It is a kind of sign of respect to the other country, and such arrangements also reflect the willingness to make more progress in bilateral ties," he said.

Private meetings can yield "unexpected results", since personal talks can be more candid, and face-to-face interactions are good for the resolution of any problems in ties, he said.

Informal settings offer a change of pace

Official talks by state leaders at formal venues, which entail strict protocol and close attention by the global media, can sometimes be exchanged for meetings in less formal settings, where the atmosphere might be more conducive to a constructive outcome. Leaders on a number of occasions have opted for the more relaxed surroundings of country homes, retreats or guesthouses to play host.

1 Sunnylands, California

In June 2013, President Xi Jinping had a "no-tie" meeting with United States President Barack Obama at this exclusive retreat in California, which, according to its website, has hosted seven US presidents and dignitaries from other countries.

The leaders met on their first day there, and Xi said the main purpose of the meeting was to make a blueprint for the development of the China-US relationship and to enhance "cooperation across the Pacific Ocean". The next morning, Xi and Obama took a stroll through the estate before their second meeting. Obama presented Xi with a gift of a bench made from California redwood.

2. Yingtai, Beijing

Xi and Obama took a relaxed stroll in Zhongnanhai, the area of Beijing known as the heart of the government, during the US president's visit to Beijing in November 2014.

The stroll was followed by a brief meeting and dinner, and it gave rise to expectations that the unusually informal atmosphere would help the leaders tackle major issues at a formal meeting.

Standing on a traditional Chinese bridge, Xi introduced Obama to the history of Yingtai, an ancient imperial palace where they later met. Xi told Obama that knowing China's modern history is important for understanding the Chinese people's current aspirations and path forward.

3. Chequers, Buckinghamshire

Opening up a "golden era" for Sino-British relations, Xi met with British Prime Minister David Cameron in Chequers, the official country residence of the UK prime minister, in October last year. The leaders planted an oak tree symbolizing the friendship between the two countries and held talks for more than four hours, covering a range of issues. Following their meeting in Chequers, Xi and Cameron visited a nearby pub for beer and fish and chips.

Tidbits

Baroque chateau

The baroque Lany Chateau, in the village of Lany in the middle of the Krivoklat woods in Central Bohemia, is about 35 kilometers from Prague. It is the official summer residence of presidents of the Czech Republic.

Government meetings are often held in a nearby villa. A game park surrounds the chateau and extends over an area of 3,000 hectares.

In May last year, Czech President Milos Zeman met at the chateau with the crew of the popular Hunan TV entertainment show Day Day Up as part of a program that focused on Prague.

First Pilsner

Pilsner Urquell, the world's first blond lager, is known to be so fresh that customers "listen" to it by placing their ears close to the rim to hear the popping of the bubbly froth.

With a name that means "original source", Pilsner Urquell has staked its claim as the world's first Pilsner and is considered to be the inspiration for much of the beer produced in the world today.

The Czech Republic also takes first place in the world for per capita beer consumption - 148.6 liters per person annually.

(China Daily 03/30/2016 page3)