"China needs to loosen its immigration policies, including giving citizenship to skilled foreign nationals, as China's population is aging quickly and its economic upgrading needs more skilled workers."

Wang Huiyao, Director of the Center for China and Globalization, an independent and non-profit think tank, talking in Beijing recently

"Consumption, production and pollution are related. The purpose of the production of goods is to supply consumption, and at the same time it leads to pollution. We would like to look at air pollution from a consumption perspective, as an alternative to the previous production-based view."

Lin Jintai, a professor at Peking University, on a recent study conducted by him and eight other scholars that shows manufacturing goods in China for export contributes significantly to the country's severe air pollution

"The air quality in the temple has improved significantly, and so has visitors' environmental awareness."

Hu Xuefeng, abbot of Beijing's renowned Lama Temple, commenting on the temple's policy of providing environment-friendly incense free of charge since December 10, 2013

"Compared with previous years, the flu virus is much more active this winter, especially in south China, with there being three major strains of the flu virus, H1, H3 and influenza B virus."

Feng Zijian, Deputy Director of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, talking to China National Radio on January 22