This menu was created for a State Dinner hosted by President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan in honor of Premier Ziyang Zhao of the People's Republic of China on January 10, 1984. The dinner was held in the State Dining Room and featured a menu that included poached turbot, beef farcie in croûte, garden green salad with walnuts, and pomegranate sorbet for dessert. This was the first State Dinner at the White House served to a Chinese premier. However, other distinguished Chinese visitors had been welcomed at the White House. Chiang Kai-shek visited in 1943, while Vice Premier Xiaoping Deng and his wife, Lin Zhuo, joined President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalynn Carter at the White House on January 29, 1979.

This menu is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Chef Henry Haller. As executive chef from 1966-1987, Haller oversaw the menus for over 150 State Dinners at the White House.