"Such seemingly outdated and primitive techniques truly represent traditional Chinese culture, and people should take pride in them."

Jiao Ruiqing, co-author of the book Four Chinese, which documents the daily lives of four farmers each using a traditional technique in their work, at the book's launch ceremony in Beijing on January 10

"Fancy clubs in parks and historical buildings are clearly invasions into public resources. These sites are public treasures, which should be open to the general public, rather than the privileged few."

Kong Fanzhi, former Director of Beijing Municipal Bureau of Cultural Heritage, commenting on Beijing Municipal Government's order for high-end clubs in public parks to close or operate as ordinary restaurants

"The core strategy of our international development is to foster enthusiasm and trust in traditional Chinese medicine among foreign patients by showcasing its effectiveness and relatively few side effects. We have sensed a widespread acceptance of and growing demand for it."

Ding Yongling, Deputy General Manager of Tongrentang, a Beijing-based pharmaceutical company dating back 300 years, on his company's plan to run 100 outlets abroad by 2015

"We will improve policies to encourage and support qualified enterprises of all kinds to participate in bidding for railway construction projects."

Zhao Guoqing, chief engineer and spokeswoman of the National Railway Administration, pledging to create a sound policy environment for private investment in the railway sector, at a press conference on January 14