Peng, spouses of foreign leaders tour Haihe River, chat over tea in Tianjin

Peng Liyuan, President Xi Jinping's wife, invited spouses of foreign leaders who were attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit 2025 in Tianjin to a sightseeing tour on the Haihe River on Monday afternoon.

The 72-kilometer-long Haihe River, hailed as Tianjin's mother river, winds its way through the city and flows eastward into the Bohai Sea. The river, flanked by historical landmarks and modern architectural marvels, encapsulates the essence of Tianjin's diversity, inclusiveness, openness and innovation.

Peng warmly greeted the guests, shaking hands with them one by one before joining them for a group photo.

At the pier, a group of children sang a joyful song, I'm Waiting for You in Tianjin, and waved Chinese and foreign national flags to welcome them.

Peng then joined the guests on a boat ride along the river, where they learned about the city's history and development.

Peng told the guests that Tianjin is a city blending historical depth and modern vitality, and that the Haihe River has witnessed the city's development and exchanges and mutual learning of diverse cultures. Peng said she looked forward to having an unforgettable time with the guests.

During the tour, they enjoyed the riverside views, had a chat over tea and enjoyed an ensemble of sanxian, a three-stringed traditional Chinese instrument. They also posed for a group photo on the deck.

The guests spoke highly of traditional Chinese culture and praised the remarkable achievements in advancing Chinese modernization.

The guests included spouses of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, and daughter of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Xinhua contributed to this story.