What’s the purpose of getting a hot, damp cloth before dinner?

Foreigners joining a Chinese dinner party should know and follow Chinese table manners. Before dinner you sometimes get a hot, damp cloth, with which you can clean your face and hands. It is a custom in China to have some tea or other drinks before the meal is served. First, some cold dishes are provided, which are placed on a round glass plate in the middle of the table. Rice or noodles are served and should not be mixed with other food. Chinese people prefer using chopsticks instead of forks and knives. At a dinner party Chinese people enjoy drinking beer or alcohol. Everybody gets up, raises their glasses and touches the others’ glasses, saying ganbei!