China's first lady beams as the Russian
leader puts a shawl around her - but the gesture proves too much for
Chinese authorities.
A video showing Vladimir Putin placing a shawl around the shoulders of China's first lady has fallen foul of Beijing's censors.
Mr Putin was seated next to Peng Liyuan - wife of Chinese premier Xi Jinping - at a dinner to open the summit held at Beijing's Water Cube, the vast aquatic stadium used for the 2008 Olympic Games.
In pictures broadcast by Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, the pair have a brief discussion, apparently aided by a translator.
Then, with Mr Xi engrossed in conversation with Barack Obama, the Russian leader produces a grey coat or blanket from under the table and wraps it round the shoulders of Ms Peng.
For a moment, the pair seemed to have transcended the language barrier, as pictures show Ms Peng beaming at Mr Putin as she wraps the garment tightly round her shoulders.
But seconds later she removes it and hands it to an aide, who gives her a navy coat as a replacement.
CCTV's commentator spotted the incident, remarking: "Putin has just placed his coat around Peng Liyuan's body," according to Foreign Policy.
Video and images of the moment quickly went viral on social media in China, where Ms Peng is a star in her own right thanks to a successful singing career.
One social media user summed up the footage, posting: "The charisma of China’s first lady can’t be resisted, and it conquers Putin."
However, by Tuesday morning, that comment and others posted on a website run by the China Daily newspaper, along with videos and pictures posted on the Weibo social media site - had been expunged from the internet in China.
The move reflected the strong control authorities have over any material about leaders, while also pointing to cultural differences about what is considered acceptable public behaviour.
Li Xin, director of Russian and central Asian studies at Shanghai Institute for International Studies, said: "It's a tradition in Russia for a man of dignity to respect ladies on public occasions, and in a cold country like Russia, it is very normal that a gentleman should help ladies take on and off their coats," Mr Li said.
"But the Chinese may not be accustomed to that."
Beijing-based historian and independent commentator Zhang Lifan said: "China is traditionally conservative on public interaction between unrelated men and women, and the public show of consideration by Putin may provide fodder for jokes, which the big boss probably does not like."
Key words that link to sensitive political issues are routinely blocked in China, with the names of key figures in the Communist Party power structure under particularly close scrutiny.
Facebook, Twitter and YouTube have been blocked for years and authorised sites and apps like Weibo - China's version of Twitter - and WhatsApp are strictly monitored by censors.
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