PLEASE NOTE:  The last daily posting to the website will be June 7th, and resume toward the end of August. "Answers" emails will resume on Sept. 3rd. 

1. How are White House officials portraying the two-day meeting between President Obama and newly appointed President Xi Jinping on June 7-8 in California, at Sunnylands, the Walter and Leonore Annenberg Estate? (see para. 4, 6, 15)

2. a) For what reason will Mrs. Obama not attend the summit?
b) How might the Chinese interpret Mrs. Obama's absence, according to analysts?

3. The summit is on Friday and Saturday. Would it be unreasonable to question whether Mrs. Obama might attend the summit on Saturday, and meet with Mrs. Peng at that time?  Explain your answer.

4. What do the Chinese hope to achieve with the summit, and with Mrs. Peng's attendance at the summit?

5. On May 27 the Washington Post reported that "more than two dozen major weapons systems whose designs were breached [by Chinese government hackers] were programs critical to U.S. missile defenses and combat aircraft and ships." (see "Background" below for more)
a) Should President Obama have canceled this meeting with newly appointed Chinese government President Xi Jinping in light of this revelation? Explain your answer.
b) As the summit is going to take place, considering the White House's goal for the meetings, should Mrs. Obama have attended some or all of the summit?  (Should diplomatic courtesy have been extended considering the meeting's purpose?)  Explain your answer.

6.  How do you view Mrs. Obama's decision not to attend the President's meeting with the Chinese President (and his wife)?

7.  Diplomatic is defined as: involving the work of maintaining good relations between the governments of different countries.  Should the first lady have a diplomatic role when the President is meeting with foreign leaders in the U.S. outside the White House?  Explain your answer.