Quotable

"I acknowledge that sex allegations attract eyeballs, and this was my strategy. I always like exaggerating when talking. This is my style. I hope Peking University will not just investigate the restaurant allegation. What I was targeting was a problem in education nationwide."

Zou Hengfu, an economist at the World Bank who worked for Peking University from 1998 until he was dismissed in 2007, admitting that he exaggerated when he alleged on his blog that deans and directors of Peking University had harassed waitresses at Mengtaoyuan Restaurant, which is on the campus. The university says it is suing Zou for libel.

"Luxury watches are not suitable for everyone. For officials, they may turn to be handcuffs. If the money is not earned above board, it cannot be spent openly."

Zheng Yuanjie, a writer, after photos of Yang Dacai, the Shaanxi work safety head, wearing five different watches, including Rolex, Mont Blanc and Radar, were posted online. Yang said he had paid for the watches himself, drawing criticism and questions from people who said that with his salary he could not have afforded them.

"We've seen lots of breakdowns of Li Na recently. It's quite normal for a Chinese sportswoman who didn't receive enough education to lack a strong mind."

Sun Jinfang, director of China's tennis administrative center, in an interview. Sun said education should be stressed more in the sports training system to avoid what had happened to Li. After winning the French Open last year, she was eliminated from the next two Grand Slam events in the second and first rounds. In the ongoing US Open, the ninth seeded Li was ousted in the third round.

(China Daily 09/07/2012 page2)