Quotable

"All I want is for the State to recognize my role as a soldier who fought the Japanese invasion, and a medal for all of the old soldiers like me."

Luo Guozhong, a Kuomintang soldier who fought in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1937-45), speaking after the Ministry of Civil Affairs announced that soldiers like him will be given high priority in the social welfare network.

"People are facing immense pressures in their work and lives. A temporary stay at a temple helps soothe their hearts and relax their moods."

Zhi Du, abbot of the Ci'en Temple in Tiantai Mountain, Zhejiang province, explaining on July 4 why the temple attracts a large number of "temporary monks and nuns" after it offered short-term stays ranging from three months to two years to the public. The temple attracted more than 400 applicants, 20 times the number expected.

"After the 1960s, the United States invested a lot in education and research. Thirty years after, many scientists won Nobel Prizes, including myself. I believe after 20 years, if not sooner, many Chinese scientists could win Nobel Prizes because China made a significant amount of investment in education and technology in recent years."

Robert Grubbs, the 2005 Nobel laureate in chemistry, commenting on China's investment in research and development.

(China Daily Africa Weekly 07/12/2013 page3)