Dutch State Visit to the People's Republic of China: October 25-29, 2015


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lucien

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TM King Willem Alexander and Queen Máxima have been invited for a State Visit to China in October 2015.
 
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Amnesty International is already jumping high and low: the King "must" speak about human rights and "in public" when he is in China. Maybe they forgot the politically responsible Minister of Foreign Affairs (who is part of the delegation), the many, many business leaders, and other members of the extended delegation.
 
Attacking the minister doesn't get as much media attention as attacking the king does. So I understand that AI does this, to raise attention to the subject. But indeed, their complaint should be adressed to Foreign Affairs, as I am sure they are well aware.

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Accoring to the 'Telegraaf' (largest newspaper of the country), Q. Maxima is our 'secret weapon' in the relations with China. Apparently she was in touch with some Chinese officials during her visit to the country (half a year after the president was here).

Máxima geheim wapen in China|Telegraaf tv nieuws| Telegraaf.nl

The Chinese press will however focus on the state visit of their president to the UK.

http://gpdhome.typepad.com/nieuwsbe...se-media-richten-zich-op-staatsbezoek-xi.html
 
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Amnesty International is already jumping high and low: the King "must" speak about human rights and "in public" when he is in China. Maybe they forgot the politically responsible Minister of Foreign Affairs (who is part of the delegation), the many, many business leaders, and other members of the extended delegation.
I agree that the nation's elected members of government should be the one to handle these responsibilities and not the King.
 
... [snipped]Accoring to the 'Telegraaf' (largest newspaper of the country), Q. Maxima is our 'secret weapon' in the relations with China. Apparently she was in touch with some Chinese officials during her visit to the country (half a year after the president was here).
Máxima geheim wapen in China|Telegraaf tv nieuws| Telegraaf.nl ... [snipped]
The western media is platitudinous. It seems to be overly fond of the "secret weapon" phrase.

I am looking forward to seeing Queen Maxima wearing amazing jewellery.
 
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Sarcastic advertorial by Amnesty International (see picture)

It reads:

Your Majesty,
Please don't you forget during your visit to China, on a befitting moment, even when it is only between the dessert and the coffee, taking into account all the sensibilities, to issue -in a refined and gentle manner- the Dutch trade interests?

It is a criticism on the King strongly profiling as a promotor of Dutch economy interests and thus probably avoiding "soft topics" as human rights.
 
I suppose a case can be made in favor of keeping the king away from dicators and despots. The king still has to continue for a few decades. It may be better if they kept his hands as clean as possible. The smiling & beer drinking photos with Putin raised eye brows at the time but esp. after MH17 it is an occassion which came back to haunt the king. At the time many already found it ill-adviced though.

Of course with this logic the king will be barred from meeting half of the world's leaders, among them several co-monarchs from the Middle East.

Accoring to Foreign Affairs they will naturally raise the topic of human rights during the visit. I suppose it will be done behind the screens with the most obscure Chinese diplomat they can find.

The western media is platitudinous. I am sure why, but it is fond of "secret weapon" phrase.

I am looking forward to seeing Queen Maxima wearing amazing jewellery.

The newspaper 'Telegraaf is a Dutch right-wing and populist newspaper, hardly equating all Western media. Catchy headlines and captions to attract readers has been normal in the written press for over a century. I doubt such headlines are limited to the Western world only though. Due to the many online news outlets it is a trend that becomes worse and worse.

I hope we will get to see the Chinese first lady. She is more elegant than most first-ladies/ queens she meets.
 
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.... [snipped] The newspaper 'Telegraaf is a Dutch right-wing and populist newspaper, hardly equating all Western media. Catchy headlines and captions to attract readers has been normal in the written press for over a century. I doubt such headlines are limited to the Western world only though. Due to the many online news outlets it is a trend that becomes worse and worse.

I hope we will get to see the Chinese first lady. She is more elegant than most first-ladies/ queens she meets.
When it comes to China, Russia and other countries, the western media outlets do not bother to display any tact.
I hope Queen Maxima will dazzle in one of Jan Taminiau's creations.
 
You are an optimist Al Bina, I am afraid that the Telegraaf doesn't display tact in most topics they discuss, be that China, Russia or anything else. However, they do have some good reporters. The journalist covering the RF -despite the catchy headline he made- is actually more reasonable than those of some higher quality newspapers and magazines. Esp. the caviar left newspapers often get their facts wrong as they seem to think it is beneath themselves to discuss the royal family in a proper way.

Anyway... the clothing pattern of HM in the few state visits up to now has been a fair amount of new outfits by Dutch designers on the first two days and descending to the usual recycled Natan mess later on. She has some nice gowns by Taminiau and Iversen that can be repeated. However, I would not be surprised if the visit will only see cocktail dresses and no long gowns (Natan is the usual suspect for these dresses too I fear).
 
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Apparently The King, Queen and their daughters arrived before the start of the visit as the girls had a week or so off. According to the hola article ( translated article ), the girls will travel back to Holland today as school starts again and the state visit will start.

The article also mentions that there is about 250 representatives of Dutch companies and about 40 journalists accompanying the royal couple.
 
I would think the King cares enough about human rights to squeeze it diplomatically into a conversation or a speech as that will have more impact than two ministers talking about it behind closed doors.

What a great fall break for the A princesses!
 
It is the pre-State Visit, let us say. The core State Visit of course is the program which involves the Chinese President and the Government.

Strange outfit for a Queen on a state visit ! Are you sure those pictures are not from the royal couple's private vacation in China ? They are reported to have been there for a week already.

It is a visit to a Dutch-Chinese agricultural cooperation in the framework of the State Visit. Seeing that Her Majesty stands in stables with livestock, the chosen outfit is understandable. See picture.
 
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Queen Máxima is ill, she won't be attending any event on day 2 (today) or day 3 (tomorrow). She suffers from pyelonephritis and she was visited by a doctor this morning, who decided she couldn't participate in the state visit at the moment.
 
The Dutch news said that from moment to moment will be seen whether the Queen will attend or not. For today only indoors events for the Queen (the official welcoming in the People's Hall and the State Banquet) but it remains to be seen if it will be possible. It seems the Queen is really ill. Most likely she will cancell all of today's events.
 
I hope she feels better soon.
Will there be continuous updates on her health and events?
 
I hope she feels better soon.
Will there be continuous updates on her health and events?

At this moment, the Palace only said she won't be attending any event today or tomorrow, except for the statebanquet tonight. They will have a look if she can make it for the state banquet, although it's quite doubtful. She has had fever since the weekend (so yesterday too) and a doctor examined her this morning. She's in their hotel at the moment.

Update: HM will be attending the state banquet tonight. I hope she's feeling better!
 
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