King Charles III Gifts Donald Trump a World War II Submarine Bell, Sparking Chinese Reactions

King Charles III presented Donald Trump with a World War II-era British submarine bell during a recent visit to the US, and the gesture triggered reactions across Chinese social media.

“Donald Trump 'has fun' giving the same shoes to all his ministers”

Le Figaro

Reality Tea says the brass bell was procured from a 1944 British submarine and that it “coincidentally bore the title HMS Trump.”

Le Figaro

In the same account, the British monarch remarked, “May it stand as a testimony to our nations’ shared history and shining future,” before quipping, “And should you ever need to get hold of us, well, just give us a ring.”

Reality Tea adds that Chinese users treated the gift differently because “bell” and “clock” share the same word in Chinese culture, “zhong,” and that “gifting a bell” is viewed as an alternative to “attending the dying.”

One Chinese social media user quoted by Reality Tea wrote, “Gifting a bell isn’t a big deal in Western culture – but it’s quite amusing, as far as we’re concerned!”

Another user said, “We Chinese generally avoid giving bells as gifts, as it carries a negative connotation. Gifting a bell = to be with someone in their last moments. Perhaps the UK and US do not have such taboos.”

The British embassy in Washington, as described by Reality Tea, framed the present as a reminder of the US and Britain’s “shared wartime history and enduring alliance.”

The same submarine-bell episode was also highlighted by the South China Morning Post, which described Chinese social media reaction as “amusement and disbelief.”

In the SCMP item provided, the publication ties the reaction specifically to “Britain’s King Charles” giving “US President Donald Trump a World War II-era British submarine bell as a gift,” emphasizing “differing cultural interpretations of the unusual gesture.”

Point de Vue

Reality Tea likewise reports that the British embassy, stationed in Washington, described the present as a reminder of the US and Britain’s “shared wartime history and enduring alliance.”

Reality Tea’s narrative contrasts that official framing with the cultural reading offered by Chinese users, including the idea that “gifting a bell” can be read as “attending the dying.”

It also includes the quoted exchange of perspectives, where one user said the gift was “quite amusing” while another insisted “We Chinese generally avoid giving bells as gifts.”

The SCMP excerpt, meanwhile, places the episode among other highlights from its reporting, including a note that “The economic divide between the United States and China is projected to widen to US$11 trillion by the end of the decade.”

SCMP’s provided text also includes a separate statistic about Singapore’s workforce, stating that “19.4 per cent of Singapore’s resident workforce had academic qualifications beyond what was required for their job in 2025.”

A separate US-focused story in the provided sources centers on Donald Trump’s practice of giving the same shoes to his ministers, advisers, and even visitors.

“During his recent visit to the US, King Charles III presented Donald Trump with a gift to symbolize the two nations’ enduring solidarity”

Reality Tea

Le Figaro reports that Trump “confirmed on Friday that he was giving shoes, all of the same brand and model, to his ministers,” and that it “amused him.”

The article says Trump told Fox Radio that he did not force members of his government to wear the shoes, but explained that he “willingly gave them as gifts.”

Le Figaro quotes Trump saying, “It’s a nice shoe,” referring to “leather dress shoes from the American brand Florsheim,” and adds, “That amuses me.”

It also includes Trump’s explanation that when officials “tell me they have a problem, I tell them, 'Let me give you a pair of shoes,' and it seems to work well.”

The same Le Figaro account adds Trump’s preference against sneakers, stating, “I don't want members of my government to wear sneakers, so I give them shoes. It's a gift from Donald Trump.”

Le Figaro also mentions that a photo of Secretary of State Marco Rubio wearing a shoe that “seemed too large” gained traction on social media.

Point de Vue shifts the focus back to King Charles III, describing his arrival at Sunday Mass on the Sandringham estate in a new Lotus Eletre SUV.

The article says King Charles arrived in his “brand-new Lotus Eletre SUV” on the occasion of Sunday Mass on the Sandringham estate, and it frames the moment as him “show off his new toy.”

South China Morning Post

It specifies that the model’s purchase had been announced “last year” and that it has “finally joined the king's garage.”

Point de Vue provides technical details, stating the SUV is “This five-seat car, with a maximum output of 600 horsepower and a top speed of 265 km/h.”

The article also emphasizes the supply chain, saying the vehicle was “assembled in Norfolk, but all of its components come from China.”

It adds that the SUV is “the English brand's first electric SUV,” and that it “rounds out Charles III's collection,” where his “iconic model remains his Aston Martin DB6 Volante, which now runs on biofuel.”

The piece then connects the vehicle to a broader political context by noting that Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to travel to China “in the coming weeks.”