Chinese, U.S. first ladies visit National Museum of Asian Art

Peng Liyuan, wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Melania Trump, wife of U.S. President Donald Trump, visited the National Museum of Asian Art in Washington on Thursday.

Peng and Melania visited exhibition halls including the Peacock Room. Peng expressed appreciation for the U.S. side's return of Chinese cultural relics to China on multiple occasions in recent years, expressing hope that China and the United States would continue to strengthen cooperation on cultural exchanges and cultural heritage protection, and deepen the friendship between the two peoples.

After the tour, Peng and Melania watched a group of young American singers sing Chinese songs together and had cordial exchanges with the performers. Peng encouraged them to continue studying the Chinese language and culture and to become envoys of friendship between China and the United States.

The National Museum of Asian Art is a renowned U.S. institution dedicated to the collection, research and exhibition of Asian art.

U.S. stocks ended mixed on Thursday.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 161.61 points, or 0.31 percent, to 51,349.98. The S and P 500 sank 1.9 points, or 0.02 percent, to 7,704.13. The Nasdaq Composite Index increased by 3.34 points, or 0.01 percent, to 26,939.37.

Seven of the 11 primary S and P 500 sectors ended in the red, with utilities and materials leading the laggards by losing 1.02 percent and 1.01 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, communication services and health led the gainers by going up 1.92 percent and 0.65 percent, respectively.