Quotable

"We are witnessing today some of the very basic and most fundamental items of Chinese cuisine, which have been famous worldwide and which have been the basis of its civilization."

Vijay Nambiar, special adviser to the UN secretary-general on Myanmar, and the Indian ambassador to China from 1996 to 2000, said after the China Shanxi Food Festival kicked off in New York on Monday at the UN. Nambiar said the festival is a great opportunity to taste flavors with over 5,000 years of history.