(C to E) 性情外長李肇星

All comments appreciated.


性情外長李肇星：出色詩人意外走上外交路
http://www.people.com.cn/GB/news/37146/45768/3357274.html

提到李肇星的口才，人們大概都會想到1999年中國駐南斯拉夫使館被炸后他與美國政客和媒體的唇槍舌劍。時任駐美大使的李肇星，展現出的咄咄逼人和強硬態度讓美國人很受震動。時隔6年之後，2005年「兩會」期間，中外記者招待會上回答記者提問時的李肇星，更是讓人感受到了他出眾的語言和文字表達能力，一時間被媒體傳為美談。

4月15日的公眾開放日見面會時，外交部新聞司司長孔泉「給」了他6分鐘講話時間，而李肇星足足講了15分鐘，其風趣幽默的語言風格，不時引起現場公眾的陣陣掌聲。在提到「台獨」總代表李登輝時，他用的定語是「那個挺壞的人」，而日本右翼政客經常去參拜的靖國神社，則被他稱為「日本的大廟」。談到日本成為聯合國安理會常任理事國的企圖時，李肇星表示：「有的國家想提拔提拔自己，想當個聯合國安理會的常任理事國，這個可以理解，誰不想提拔自己呢？」

「我從電視上還能看出他當年的情況。」沈樂亭說，上中學時雖然李肇星不愛言語，「唱歌好像是在念歌詞」，但每當爭論問題時，卻總是寸步不讓。

而在李肇星高三時的數學老師蔣樹勛眼中，他的這個得意門生外語口才要比中文口才更好。


When talking about Li』s eloquence, people always recall his vehement arguments with the US government and media, after China』s embassy in Yugoslavia was bombarded in 1999. The Americans were impressed by the aggressiveness and toughness of Li, then China』s ambassador to US. Six years later, in 2005, Li again demonstrated his superb speech craft answering questions on the international press conference regarding the concurrent 「two political conferences」. Li』s performance on the press conference was widely applauded by the media.

On April 15, the day Foreign Ministry opened itself to the public, the Ministry』s news department chief 「allowed」 Li six minutes of speech. Li however, went on for full 15 minutes, and won fitful of cheers from the audiences with his insight and humor. When mentioning Li Denghui, major representative of 「Taiwan independence」, he used the descriptive 「that wicked guy」; and he called it 「that big temple of Japan」, referring to the Yasukuni Shrine frequented by Japan』s right wing politicians. Li said, 「Some nations want to promote themselves, want to take up a permanent standing in the UNSC. This is understandable. Who doesn』t want to upgrade himself?」

「I can still see the junior Li on TV」. Shen Leting remembers that although Li was not talkative in high school, and 「sang dryly like reading the lyrics」, he never backward a step in class arguments.

In the eyes of Jiang Shuxun, Li』s math teacher of senior high grade three, this student of his pride had better speech talent in English than in Chinese.

用詞簡練，文意準確。
美中不足是稍有些鬆散，李肇星部長是很強悍雄辯的喲！

on your coat tail, try the first paragarph:

提到李肇星的口才，人們大概都會想到1999年中國駐南斯拉夫使館被炸后他與美國政客和媒體的唇槍舌劍。時任駐美大使的李肇星，展現出的咄咄逼人和強硬態度讓美國人很受震動。時隔6年之後，2005年「兩會」期間，中外記者招待會上回答記者提問時的李肇星，更是讓人感受到了他出眾的語言和文字表達能力，一時間被媒體傳為美談。
The first time Li impressed the world with his eloquence was when he debated with American politicians and the media after the bombing of Chinese embassy at Belgrade, Yugoslavia, in 1999. As the embassador to the US then, he stunned the Americans with his aggressive attitudes and touch personality.  Six years later, it was 2005, and the two highest political meetings were held concurrently in Beijing. Once again, Li impressed the journalists worldwide and won their applauses by his masterful command of langauges at the Foreign Ministry's media conferences.

A fine example of structue.

Bravo!


"for his masterful command of langauges" rather than "by.."?

What does "touch personality" mean?

oops, my fault. it should be tough personality. i guess "by his masterful command of" is okay (the second verb seems need it), but i am not sure at this point.

thanks to both of you.