Sebastian Wood, British ambassador to China, on his 88-day visit to eight Chinese cities:
"I did not see any sign of instability in China. However, I did identify some challenges brought on by problems in those impoverished places that China will face on its way to further development. I think efficient reform of the financial system will be the core means to solve those problems."
Wan Qingliang, the youngest mayor of Guangzhou since 1978, on the city’s plans for 2010:
"This year, we won’t put forward any new ideas or slogans. Our main work is to implement. The year of 2010 will become the ‘year of implementation’ in Guangzhou."
Premier Wen Jiabao on EU efforts to bail out Greece:
"China will fully support the EU and IMF’s rescue scheme for Greece. The global economy is recovering gradually. However, we cannot underestimate the seriousness and complexity of this crisis. Further international co-operation should be in place so as to stabilize global currency exchange fluctuations."
Chen Huai, director of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Policy Research Center, on improving property affordability for urban residents:
"The ideal goal is urban residents’ housing will reach the ‘preliminary improvement’ level by 2020. Whether they can afford a house is an important symbol of an all-around well-off society; China still needs 20 or 30 years to achieve this goal."
Xiao Feng, president of Beijing Shuang Jian Real Estate, on low-carbon building:
"I have a different opinion about low carbon building. I think a house that can be used for 100 years is real low carbon. If the house only is used for 20 years, then has to be removed, that will generate huge amounts of pollution. At present, the biggest problem facing China’s construction industry is how we can make the service life of houses longer."
Xu Lejiang, Chairman of Baosteel Group, on the reformed iron-ore pricing system:
"Total abandonment of long-term contract price negotiations is absolutely unacceptable for China. I think the current supply-demand situation of iron ore will reverse in future, probably before 2014. The exact time will depend on conditions of the recovery of China’s economy and whether the global economy will double dip on its way to recovery."
Xie Duo, Director of the International Department of the People’s Bank of China, on monetary policies to continue global economic recovery:
"Major advanced countries are maintaining their sovereign debt at a very high level and holding loose monetary policy, which has pushed so much capital to flood into emerging economies and consequently caused significant risk to the latter. Therefore, developed countries should take prudent macroeconomic measures to avoid risk."