WASHINGTON – Ivanka Trump was just as eager to see US President DonaldTrump meet North Korea’s Kim Jong-un as millions around the world. She eventweeted a Chinese proverb to hail the historic summit – just that itperhaps was not a Chinese proverb after all.
Ivanka on Monday – a day before the summit – was on Twitter early andwrote, “‘Those who say it can not be done, should not interrupt those doingit.’ – Chinese Proverb.” ‘
While many agreed that the quote made sense considering how a meetingbetween the US President and North Korea’s supreme leaders was consideredimpossible just months back, most wondered exactly which Chinese proverbshe had translated from. The curiosity, quite obviously, was the most inChina where people largely speak the Mandarin language.
Many took to Weibo – China’s version of Twitter – to think out aloud.
“When you take your proverbs from a fortune cookie in a boxed Chinese foodpacket, you get Ivanka’s sermon,” wrote one user. “I cannot help but wonderwhich proverb this is, never heard this, not in our country at least,”wondered another.
There were many similar messages from Chinese netizens who otherwise followIvanka closely and are largely appreciative of her fashion statement andwork. A video of her daughter – Arabella – reciting Chinese poetry wasshown to Chinese premier Xi Jinping when Trump visited China. The videowent viral in the country and many appreciated the gesture but not manywere too kind with the proverb used most recently by Ivanka.