Quotable

Our strategy to boost westward growth has not changed. Yet, recently, there has been a divergence in development between southern and northern China, and each of the six provinces in central China also has its own conditions. It's necessary to improve development across regions so that the central region can truly play a supporting role in China's economy."

Premier Li Keqiang, referring on Dec 7 to a guideline for invigorating development in China's central regions, which was approved at a State Council executive meeting.

"We hoped that the mission would last longer because we had so much fun in space. We had a very memorable journey."

Jing Haipeng, commander of the Shenzhou XI mission, speaking to reporters on Dec 7 at the Astronaut Center of China in Beijing's northwestern suburbs.

"China's reaction reflected its confidence in the stability of China-US relations, its patience for Trump to get a better understanding of China policy, and its determination to defend the bottom line of the bilateral relationship."

Dong Chunling, a researcher at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, commenting on US President-elect Donald Trump's phone call with Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen and his subsequent China-related tweets.

(China Daily European Weekly 12/09/2016 page2)