Move over, superhero movies – Washington just served up its own version of 'The Menu' 🎬. The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a defense bill banning Chinese garlic from military stores, with Sen. Rick Scott calling it a 'major threat' to food safety.
When Garlic Becomes Geopolitical
While military bases might smell less pungent, Beijing isn't mincing words. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning quipped: 'I don't think it could ever occur to garlic that it would pose a 'major threat' to the U.S.' 🌏💬
The Bigger Picture
This comes as US-China trade tensions simmer like a slow-cooked stew 🍲. Critics argue the move reflects growing protectionism rather than genuine safety concerns, with Beijing accusing some politicians of 'abusing state power to contain China's development.'
Fun fact: China produces 80% of the world's garlic. Could this ban leave America's kitchen diplomacy… tasteless? 🧄⚖️
