"The rapidly growing aging population is presently one of China's major challenges."

Li Jianguo, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, at a meeting in Beijing on May 4 on launching national inspections to ensure the interests and rights of the senior people are protected properly in accordance with the law

"Although there are different views on many issues between the two sides, improved cross-Straits ties in the past three years have made people in Taiwan more willing and confident about deepening cooperation across the Taiwan Straits."

Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou, commenting on May 3 as he met honorary Kuomintang (KMT) chairman Wu Poh-hsiung and others who are to attend the annual forum between the KMT and the Communist Party of China in Chengdu, Sichuan Province

"After China surpassed Japan in terms of nominal GDP, China will engage more in South-South cooperation."

Haruhiko Kuroda, President of Asian Development Bank (ADB), at a press conference of the 44th annual meeting of the Board of Governors of the ADB in Hanoi, Viet Nam on May 3

"After the killing of Osama Bin Laden, there is no excuse for the U.S. presence in the region."

Iranian Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Salehi, on a TV program on May 3 after Washington's confirmation that Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden had been killed

"We chose this theme because we feel it is very relevant to the events that are taking place on this continent, and the opportunity for growth and investment international and African communities are seeing."

Katherine Tweedie, head of Africa for the World Economic Forum in Cape Town, South Africa, commenting on the theme of the forum—From Vision to Action, Africa's Next Chapter—on April 30