WHEN Xi Jinping enters a circa 1866 Victorian house in Muscatine, Iowa, today, things will feel familiar. It was in the town’s historic district that Xi first feasted on Iowa beef and corn during a visit more than two decades ago.

Today’s menu is a tad more upscale — tenderloin, spring rolls and bacon-wrapped scallops. And the excitement, decidedly more palpable.

After all, back in 1985, Xi was a provincial official from the hog-farming province of Hebei, Iowa’s “sister state.” He wanted to see how Americans raised their livestock and learn about different applications of corn, said Sarah Lande, owner of the Victorian and host of Xi’s visit.

She said she’s honored and humbled that Xi chose to see his old friends again.

But part of today is reserved for a private visit to this small eastern Iowa town. The town has never seen so many security personnel. As Iowa Governor Terry Branstad put it: “This is the biggest thing to hit Muscatine since Pope John Paul II’s visit in 1979.”

Chris Steinbach, editor of Muscatine Journal, said he had received thousands of e-mails from journalists around the world who were curious about Xi’s visit.

Xi arrived in Muscatine for two weeks in April 1985 with a Chinese delegation looking into farming technology.

(SD-Agencies)