A Chinese diplomat caused an online uproar after he alleged that White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt wore a dress that was Chinese-made. The assertion is made against the backdrop of rising tensions over trade between the United States and China, with both sides slapping high tariffs on one another.
People’s Republic of China Consul General Zhang Zhishen in Denpasar, Indonesia, took to X (formerly Twitter) a picture of Leavitt in a red gown with black lace edges. With the photograph, he included pictures of one seemingly identical dress offered on a Chinese online shopping platform and a screenshot of someone who posted, “The lace over the collar of this dress is made in Mabu Town. It was colored in our workshop.”
Zhishen employed the post to underline what he perceived as an irony of the existing trade war. “Accusing China is business. Buying China is a life. The lovely lace on the dress was identified by an employee of a Chinese company as its product,” he posted.
His tweet soon generated heat, with controversy surrounding the validity of the claim and whether or not the dress was genuine. While some defended Zhishen’s assertion, others jumped back with both feet, positing that the dress might be fake.
“A Malaysian designer’s dress being pirated by the Chinese, you mean?” queried one commenter. Another chimed in, “Everything made by China is stolen from someone else. Her dress is original.
Tensions Rise With Colossal Tariffs
Zhishen’s comment follows barely a week since US President Donald Trump suspended most of his large-scale planned tariff increases for 90 days, except on Chinese imports. The US has slapped tariffs of as much as 145% on Chinese products, while China retaliated with 125% tariffs on US imports.
The internet feud over White House Secretary Leavitt’s outfit has now become a metaphor for the broader trade and political divide between the two superpowers. Whether the outfit was produced in China or not, the controversy highlights the fact that even fashion can be a source of tension in international diplomacy.
