Business banquets are a fact of life in China, and toasting with bai jiu is a fact of life at banquets. Here from left is Professor Wen of BGMR, Dr. Liu our consultant from Beijing, Mr Liu the geology Director at BGMR, myself, and Richard Xin (here drinking beer) from Shell China. Bai jiu is a white alcohol ranging between 30 to nearly 60% alcohol. It tastes, to me, just awful and is drunk for quantity rather than flavor. With the words "he jiu" and "gan bei" glasses are emptied in one draft and the quiet but efficient waitress moves around the table filling them again. I just hate it!

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