New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark, defending national dairy giant Fonterra after its Chinese partner Sanlu was implicated in a tainted baby formula scandal:
“[Fonterra] had been trying for weeks to get an official recall and the local authorities in China would not do it.”
An online notice posted by the Shaya County government in Xinjiang, ahead of the Muslim holy month, Ramadan:
“For those that maintain beards and for the women who wear veils, we should take all effective measures to have them shave their beards and take off their veils.”
Economist Gao Huiqing, following the central bank’s decision to reduce lending rates:
“We knew that there would be monetary policy relaxation in China, but we didn’t expect the move would be so quick.”
Property developer China Vanke, responding to compensation demands from customers who bought homes before the firm drastically lowered its prices:
“We can understand buyers’ feelings but we won’t accept any requests for compensation …. without legal basis.”
Kerry Brown, a senior fellow at Chatham House in London, following Beijing’s purchase of Costa Rican government bonds, which was thought to help persuade the country to sever ties with Taiwan:
“This is the first smoking gun that proves China uses its foreign exchange reserves for political purposes.”