Voice of the middle class getting louder

Members of Beijing's middle class are demonstrating a growing interest in expressing their opinions on some big matters, even if it doesn't have much effect.

"A big portion of Beijing's middle class is not satisfied with simply being entertained or getting rich," said Wang Huiyao, the vice-chairman of China's Western Returned Scholars Association (WRSA), which with more than 50,000 members is the largest overseas returnees' organization in China. "They are keen to share their perspectives about state affairs and seek ways to deliver their message to the country's policy makers."

"We have to make use of these talented and ambitious people, many of whom have contributed tremendously to the economic development of Beijing," Wang said.