Musk, Rubio draw attention during China visit

U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to China sparked widespread online attention after Elon Musk and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio drew notice for a series of unexpected moments in Beijing.

Musk arrived Wednesday at the Great Hall of the People, where the U.S.-China summit was held, accompanied by his six-year-old son X, whose full name is X Æ A-Xii. X is Musk’s son with Canadian singer Grimes.

Musk later posted a video of his son on social media, writing that the boy was learning Chinese. The child quickly became a trending topic in China after appearing in a dragon-patterned vest and carrying a tiger-shaped bag. Chinese media, including Xiandai Kuaibao, reported that online sales of similar items surged.

The attention followed Musk into the evening banquet, where guests crowded around his table for photos. Images of Lei Jun, founder of Xiaomi, greeting Musk and taking a selfie quickly spread across social media.

Musk appeared visibly tired throughout the day but repeatedly flashed his trademark playful expressions whenever cameras turned his way. Earlier footage showing him walking through the Great Hall of the People while filming with his smartphone also circulated widely online, earning him the nickname “360-degree tour of the Great Hall.”

Rubio also drew attention for a more relaxed demeanor rarely seen in public. Cameras captured him inside the summit room looking up at the ornate ceiling decorations in apparent admiration.

At one point, Rubio gave a thumbs-up and gestured toward the ceiling while speaking with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, a moment that contrasted with his typically serious public image.

Rubio is known as one of the Trump administration’s most hawkish voices on China and has long criticized Beijing over human rights issues. China previously placed him on a sanctions list, which in principle would bar his entry.

However, just before Rubio took office last year, Chinese authorities changed the Chinese-character rendering of his surname from “卢比奥” to “鲁比奥,” a shift that drew attention online at the time.

Rubio also recently drew attention after posting a photo aboard Air Force One en route to Beijing, wearing clothing similar to what Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was reportedly wearing when he was detained by U.S. forces earlier this year.


Chul-Jung Kim tnf@donga.com