The Americans say it is not

Daniel Acker/Bloomberg News

Set Out the Good China, the President's Coming By JIM YARDLEY (NYT April 9, 2006)

Extrait :
The Chinese are calling it a state visit.
The Americans say it is not.
The two sides have agreed to disagree.
"In many ways, the most important thing for the visit of the president of China to the United States is protocol," said Michael Green.
He estimated that 80 percent of negotiations in advance of a Chinese leadership trip were about protocol, largely because of Chinese concerns over their domestic television audience.
"The Chinese public, especially out in the provinces, needs and wants to see their leader being shown the fullest respect," said Mr. Green, who now teaches international relations at Georgetown University.