Before the China-U.S. summit began, U.S. Secretary of State Rubio frequently looked up to observe the ceiling decorations inside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. During this time, he even pointed at the ceiling and gave a thumbs-up.
Live footage from the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) showed that Rubio also spoke with the U.S. Secretary of War, Hegseth, who was sitting next to him. While conversing, Rubio pointed at the ceiling, and the two then looked up together, seemingly showing great interest in the ceiling's patterns in the hall.