Hold The Vinegar And Soy Sauce For Now

Reflecting on the approaching 30th anniversary of the normalization of Sino-U.S. relations, the official Chinese news agency, Xinhua, the voice of the central government, enjoys the appetizing word play of Winston Lord, former aide to RN and HAK and ex-U.S. ambassador to China:

"I love Chinese food so I always call the relationship sweet and sour," quipped the former ambassador. "Right now it's in a quite positive phase," said Lord, whose sharp mind and witty words easily betray his background as a seasoned diplomat. "I would say it's 81.5 percent positive and 18.5 percent negative," he added, with a smile.