Bob ! Your eyes look bloodshot . Did you not sleep well ?   I had a drop too much last night . I attended a banquet given by a Chinese colleague of mine . And it was startling for me to find that people are forced to drink against their will on a Chinese table .   You have it right . Alcohol is a medium for communicating emotion in China . Drinking with business partners or would-be friends is a way of solidifying friendship , especially in Northern China . 