Sound bites

"We have too many difficulties and problems to take into consideration given the fact that China is still at the primary stage of socialism, despite people's wish to increase the number of national holidays."

said Shao Qiwei, director of the National Tourism Administration and a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, when asked whether the authorities would arrange a longer Spring Festival holiday in 2015.

"Life is like a long-distance race, instead of a short-distance one - what matters in a 10,000-meter race is not your starting line, but your persistence and endurance."