Quotable

"We are expecting a better performance in foreign trade in the second quarter, but the bounce may be arriving in May."

Shen Danyang, spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce saying that exports and imports would meet the government's annual target of 7.5 percent growth this year. Shen's comments came after China's foreign trade unexpectedly slipped in the first quarter.

"We are ready to accelerate the growth of this vital market with a ship that will capture the imagination of travelers looking for a one-of-a-kind vacation experience."

Adam Goldstein, president and COO of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd saying that it will make Shanghai the home port for its newest ship, the Quantum of the Seas. The company indicated that it was betting big on China as an emerging cruise market.

"Chinese firms are facing many challenges and uncertainties in taking to the global stage, as trade protectionism keeps growing, and a politically and economically unstable environment has deterred global investors."

Jiang Zengwei, chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade saying that Chinese companies must work more closely with local governments, financial institutions and their counterparts in local markets to succeed. Though China is the world's third-largest investor for outward foreign direct investment, the total accumulated value of its FDI is still small, Jiang says.

(China Daily Africa Weekly 04/25/2014 page20)