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Took a while, but I finally followed up on China's apple ban.

Turns out I wasn't that late after all.

Early in November, plant health officials from both the United States and China met in Xiamen, China, to discuss resuming shipments of Red and Golden Delicious apples to Chinese ports and reopening an important market for one of our state's economic engines.

I wrote a lot about the issue in advance but sort of forgot to follow up until this week.

However, I didn't miss much. Mike Willett, the vice president of scientific affairs for the Washington Horticultural Council, told me the minutes from the meeting weren't released until late last week.

Trade representatives - and probably anyone who deals with Chinese bureaucrats - will tell you negotiations involve walking a diplomatic tightrope. Even agreeing on meeting minutes, which should be a routine matter, can take days.

Many years ago, I traveled to China. I found it fascinating and beautiful but slow, a place where "saving face" often comes before solving problems.

So, that let me off the hook in my followup reporting and allowed me to save a little face myself.

The result of those meetings? You'll have to check the ºÚÁϸ£ÀûÉç during the next few days. But I'll give you a hint that the news is pretty good.