WHITE HOUSE DINNER ATTRACTS GLITTERATI.

Byline: Angie Cannon Knight-Ridder Tribune News Wire

It was Washington's version of the Oscars: a star-studded state dinner to fete Chinese President Jiang Zemin.

In an East Room grandly decorated in gold, with tall candelabras covered with fragrant roses, 232 guests selected for their corporate or political power dined in the knowledge that they were the A-list of A-lists.

All state dinners are impressive, but the jockeying to be included in this affair was heightened because of the importance of the country being honored, and the infrequency of visits from its leaders.

Jiang's visit was as much about economics as geopolitics. So the guests were stars of corporate America, including leaders from high technology, entertainment, transportation, trade and media.

The business leaders joined a sprinkling of artists of Asian heritage: best-selling novelist Amy Tan, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, violinist Cho-Liang Lin and designer Vera Wang. AIDS researcher David Ho represented the scientific community.

As she swept into the hall in a flowing brown, gold and topaz gown, Tan, whose parents were born in China, said she did not hesitate to attend the dinner. ``I don't think strides in human relations or the human condition come standing on the outside, chest-beating,'' she said.

Nearly three dozen business chieftains attended: the CEOs of companies such as AT&T, Xerox, Atlantic Richfield, Boeing, United Technologies, Oracle, IBM, Eastman Kodak, Pepsico and Motorola. Michael Eisner, chief executive officer of the Walt Disney Co., was there. So was Louis Gerstner, CEO of IBM, Steven Jobs of Apple Computer and John Welch of General Electric.

`The future opportunities in China are very significant for all of us,'' said Gerald Levin, chairman of Time Warner. Michael Jordan, chairman of Westinghouse Electric Corp., talked about how large the market for nuclear power was in China. Rubbing his fingers together, he said, ``We would like to get our fair share.''

But Steven Spielberg, president of the DreamWorks movie company, said money wasn't on his mind. ``I'm not here as a businessman,'' he said. ``In a sense, I feel like Forrest Gump, eavesdropping on a moment in history.''

And, of course, there were the political heavyweights: Vice President Al Gore and his wife, Tipper; former President Carter; Lady Bird Johnson; Secretary of State Madeleine Albright; former secretaries of state James Baker, Henry Kissinger, George Shultz and Alexander Haig; House Speaker Newt Gingrich; Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, and other members of Congress. Even North Carolina Sen. Jesse Helms, a longtime nemesis of China, couldn't resist his invitation.

The guests were received by the president and Hillary Rodham Clinton and President Jiang Zemin and his wife, Wang Yeping, in the Cross Hall of the White House.

The round tables in the East Room were set with Eisenhower gold-base plates, the Franklin Delano Roosevelt china and the Kennedy crystal. The centerpieces, following Hillary Clinton's autumnal theme, were made of yellow skyline roses, apricot roses, ambience roses and snowberries with gold candles.

Tuxedoed waiters served an elaborate menu of American and Asian flavors: chilled lobster with corn leek relish, marinated butternut squash, lobster tarragon sauce, pepper crusted Oregon beef, Yukon Gold whipped potatoes, roasted root vegetables, shallot marmalade, and Mandarin tea tartlets.

Dessert was a devilish confection that took the pastry chef three days to make: 32 giant chocolate oranges, decorated with orange blossoms and filled with fresh orange sherbet and pomegranate sauce.

The chefs also crafted 32 delicate marzipan pandas nestled in little cages.

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PHOTO (color) President and Hillary Clinton, flanked by Chinese President Jiang Zemin and his wife, Wang Yeping, greet guests at the White House.

Associated Press