Quotable

"China's trade remains stable, and it will maintain an upswing in the months ahead, given that there are no other countries that can manufacture so many goods for the global market."

Xiao Feng, deputy general manager of Shenzhen Onetouch Business Service Co, a trade service provider, saying container throughput at major domestic ports has been increasing since March, indicating that foreign trade will keep growing in the months ahead and meet the government's targets this year.

"There will be many opportunities, especially for those who are well educated and have a grasp of one or more foreign languages and have rich experience."

Dong Lei, managing director at recruiter Lloyd Morgan Greater China. Hiring is increasing in the second quarter of this year as the central government focuses on growth driven by the service sector. A survey of 4,279 companies by global employment agency ManpowerGroup showed that about 19 percent of Chinese firms will increase staff numbers in the April-June period.

"Different economies can combine their individual plans with regional connectivity to boost cooperation."

Zhang Xiangchen, China's assistant minister of commerce, saying China's proposal for a multilateral bank to develop infrastructure projects in Asia received a "positive response" as the country called for a group of projects to boost regional connectivity. He said that China will advance the establishment of the bank, which should have "a very big influence on regional connectivity as financing is the most prominent bottleneck in infrastructure development".

(China Daily European Weekly 05/16/2014 page18)