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Is Putin flirting with China's First Lady?

Russian President Vladimir Putin puts on a shawl for Chinese President Xi Jinping's wife Peng Liyuan. Picture: Feng Li/Getty Images

International diplomacy is the art of thawing chilly relations and making nice with your neighbour.

But in the case of Vladimir Putin being chivalric to China’s First Lady, it is read as flirting.

Chinese social media became excited about a moment caught on video at the APEC meeting in which the Russian President was seated next to Peng Liyuan at an APEC event last night.

World leaders and their spouses were gathered for the APEC welcome banquet and fireworks at the National Aquatics Centre - or Water Cube - in Bejing last night.

Ms Peng was seated next to the newly single Mr Putin and on her other side her husband, APEC host and President of China Xi Jinping, was seated.

Foreign Policy website reports that Mr Xi was talking to US President Barack Obama when Mr Putin stood up and gallantly placed the coat around Ms Peng’s shoulders. She discreetly removed it soon after.

The moment was filmed by China’s state CCTV and announcers commented on the small moment in the corner of the screen. It then went viral on Chinese social media.

But Chinese censors jumped on the rapidly circulating story and removed any trace of the video from news sites and social media in an attempt to preserve the dignity and reputations of its top officials and to avoid any international chilly relations.

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