Famous People

Tom Friedman, the Times' most popular columnist, came to visit us after a conference in southern China. He is, of course, very interested in reaching a Chinese audience and we are his most direct channel.

Here he is with our new editor, Ching Ching, who Anna and I knew in Shanghai when she was the Los Angeles Times' bureau chief there.

We had a big lunch so some of the staff could meet him. It was fun and interesting.

Our staff, all of whom are bilingual, come from the top Chinese universities and so are very smart. China is, of course, a very competitive place and so to make it to university is already an accomplishment. To make it to a top university marks you as an even rarer breed. To be bilingual, most without having ever lived outside the country, is beyond my imagination.

After lunch, we took Tom to visit Ai Weiwei, the dissident artist. He is a very warm and intelligent guy and very generous with visitors - particularly the press!

He has lots of cats around. He said the police had called him for a meeting just before we arrived to discuss our visit, which they evidently knew about.

Green tea. The bubbles are in the glass.

Eyes open.

Eyes shut.

He takes selfies with almost everyone who visits.

In his studio with Friedman, Ed Wong, the current bureau chief, and me.

The guy in the back is one of his assistants.

The cat.