As the leaders of the world’s two most powerful economies rekindled personal ties in Beijing on Thursday and Friday, with a cavalcade of American business leaders accompanying U.S. President Donald Trump, the Chinese capital turned into something of a spectacle.

The visit — the first by a sitting U.S. president to China in nearly a decade — was full of friendly overtures, closely orchestrated pageantry, business dealmaking, and headline-grabbing sideshows that captivated audiences on both sides of the Pacific.

Beijing deployed its diplomatic arsenal to the full.

It laid on brass bands and flower-waving schoolchildren at the airport, a state banquet at the Great Hall of the People, a private tour of the Temple of Heaven, and a closing garden stroll at Zhongnanhai – the walled compound where China’s top leaders have worked and lived since 1949 – during which Chinese President Xi Jinping offered Trump rose seeds as a parting gift. 

“There were unusually long handshakes, back-patting, smiling, and synchronized walking during public appearances,” said Lyle Morris, senior fellow for foreign policy and national security at the Asia Society Policy Institute. “The interaction was warmer and more relaxed than some previous Trump-Xi encounters,” Morris said. 

Crowds gathered along streets near the Four Seasons hotel and the Great Hall for a glimpse of Trump’s motorcade. “It was quite a spectacle,” said Alicia Liao, a university student in Beijing. “We had an exam the next day, but almost everyone followed the broadcast or social media clips.”  

Fancy some cheese-flavored spicy noodles? Judging by export sales, the rest of the world can’t get enough of South Korea’s food exports, also known as “K-Food.”

Exports of “K-Food+” — a category that includes food products and agricultural industries — surged to a record $13.62 billion in 2025, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

That’s a 5.1% increase from a year earlier and marked the tenth consecutive year of growth.

Instant noodles, or ramyeon, were the standout. Exports jumped nearly 22% to $1.52 billion, making it the first single food category to surpass $1 billion in overseas sales.

Cheese-flavored spicy noodles and other new products resonated with consumers in China, the U.S., and emerging markets in Central Asia and the Middle East.

“Global demand for Korean noodles continues to expand, and companies have scaled up production and stabilized supply chains to meet it,” the ministry noted in a late‑2025 report.

Other categories also gained traction overseas, with Korean sauces benefiting from the demand for spicy and sweet flavors, while ice cream and fruit exports rose too.

What makes the humble pack of South Korean instant noodles so popular? Analysts say culture plays a big role.

The massive appeal of K-pop and Korean television dramas has helped fuel demand, with food frequently featured on screen. Characters are often shown eating ramyeon in dramas, variety shows and advertisements.

Just as K-pop companies are looking overseas for growth, Korean food makers, especially those selling ramyeon, are doing the same, said Oh Jiwoo, analyst at brokerage CGS International.

Nongshim CEO Cho Yong-chul told employees at the start of 2026 that the company’s business principle for the year was “Global Agility & Growth,” urging staff to expand its overseas footprint.

Otoki CEO Hwang Sung-man said at a shareholder meeting in March 2025 that the company, best known for its Jin Ramen, would prioritize “exploring global markets” and aim for an overseas sales revenue of 1.1 trillion won ($746 million) by 2030.

CGS’ Oh said companies are looking beyond South Korea’s shores because the domestic market is saturated. For example, Nongshim, best known for its Shin Ramyeon brand, holds over 60% market share in South Korea.

“Their main product was first invented in 1970s and 80s. And those products, [the] same products, is selling every year, [with] no marketing cost,” she said.

South Korea’s demographic decline also limits long-term domestic growth, Oh added, pushing companies to look abroad.

As a result, noodle makers have leaned into K-pop’s global reach, signing popular ambassadors and icons to…