After a four-week absence from Washington, first lady Melania Trump returned to the White House on Saturday for an annual dinner and reception with the nation’s governors.

By China’s conventional standards, women are expected to be supportive of their husbands and to focus on raising children. But Melania Trump’s streaks of independence also appeal to Chinese fans, as does her ascent from small-town Slovenian roots to the top of the world’s social ladder.