▁the ▁Chinese ▁continued ▁to ▁o mit ▁the ▁frat ernal ▁em brace ▁when ▁gre eting ▁Soviet ▁leaders . ▁This ▁was ▁done ▁to ▁emphas ize ▁that ▁S ino - S ov iet ▁relations ▁were ▁not ▁returning ▁to ▁the ▁pre - split ▁level ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s ; ▁Chinese ▁protocol ▁specifically ▁ins isted ▁on ▁" hand sh ake , ▁no ▁em brace ." ▁ ▁Because ▁of ▁its ▁symbol ic ▁significance , ▁Commun ist ▁leaders ▁will ▁often ▁exchange ▁the ▁frat ernal ▁em brace ▁even ▁if ▁serious ▁disag re ements ▁exist , ▁to ▁avoid ▁giving ▁the ▁public ▁impression ▁that ▁relations ▁are ▁stra ined . ▁For ▁example , ▁although ▁China ▁and ▁Vietnam ▁dispute ▁the ▁ownership ▁of ▁the ▁Spr at ly ▁Islands , ▁Chinese ▁and ▁Vietnam ese ▁leaders ▁continue ▁to ▁exchange ▁the ▁social ist ▁frat ernal ▁em brace . ▁ ▁Che ek ▁kiss ing ▁ ▁The ▁social ist ▁frat ernal ▁kiss ▁should ▁not ▁be ▁confused ▁with ▁ordinary ▁che ek ▁kiss ing ▁between ▁world ▁leaders . ▁For ▁example , ▁it ▁is ▁traditional ▁for ▁the ▁President ▁of ▁France ▁to ▁gre et ▁world ▁leaders ▁by ▁kiss ing ▁them ▁on ▁both ▁che eks . ▁This ▁is ▁not ▁a ▁social ist ▁frat ernal ▁kiss ▁because ▁there ▁are ▁only ▁two ▁kiss es , ▁and ▁it ▁car ries ▁no ▁ide ological ▁meaning . ▁ ▁It ▁is ▁pract iced ▁by ▁Ga ull ist ▁pres idents ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁Social ist ▁pres idents . ▁ ▁In ▁popular ▁culture ▁ ▁The ▁frat ernal ▁kiss ▁became ▁famous ▁via ▁Er ich ▁H one cker ▁and ▁Leon id ▁Bre