This interview aired on the BBC's "Entertainment USA" programme in early January 1988 as part of a feature on the children of famous rock musicians working as MTV VJs. Most of the feature concentrated on Dweezil and Moon Zappa, but the final couple of minutes involved China. The first part, which I haven't transcribed, was an extract from one of China's shows. The interviewer was Jonathan King.
JK: "So how did you get to be called China?"
China: "It's, I've asked my mom about that. It's not really anything particular. It's not any meaning, it's not a dish, but she did think I looked like a Buddha when I was born, some kind of thing like that, and they've always liked chinese culture very much, my parents have. So they just thought it was a pretty name. That was, I mean , it was just something they thought of. It wasn't anything they were thinking about, the name just kind of came up."
JK: "You don't look like a Buddha anymore."
China: "No I don't, I think I've thinned down a little bit!" [Laughs]
JK: "Do you think it's a better or a worse name than Dweezil and Moon Unit?"
China: "I think it's the same. I mean our parents were nuts, you know, and they did a lot of funny stuff, and I think it's great. I mean, I'd rather have my name or Moon's name or Dweezil's name than Jane or Mary or Sue or whatever, so I like having my name. I didn't like it a while ago, but now I'm gradually liking it, and same with Moon and Dweezil, they say they've come to like their names."