we sat at a large round table and the four glasses in front of each setting were constantly refilled with plum wine , tsingtao beer , orange soda , and mao-tai , the fiery chinese equivalent of pure grain alcohol , and after an interminable speech of welcome by the senior chinese official and a briefer response by the american ambassador -- each speech made longer by the need for simultaneous translations -- a series of bottoms-up toasts were offered to the recently renewed good relations between the people of china and the people of the united states of america and by the time the soup was served to end the meal there were so many gambeis !