Quotable

"We will loosen the limits on clients opening futures accounts and remove obstacles to bringing in overseas clients to the crude oil market."

Deng Ge, a spokesman for the China Securities Regulatory Commission, after the commission issued rules on Oct 31 covering futures firms and encouraging overseas investors to participate in the Chinese market.

"While there is growing downward pressure, the country's industrial production is improving and we estimate that growth will maintain stability in the fourth quarter."

Zheng Lixin, spokesman of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. He said industrial output will maintain stable expansion in the fourth quarter, although the risk of slowing growth continues to weigh on the economy.

"The end of the 'China growth' story is bringing the valuation of target companies down to relatively reasonable levels."

David Brown, partner and greater China private equity leader with PricewaterhouseCoopers, in explaining that a slower economy and the government's determination to squeeze out overcapacity are offering great opportunities for merger and acquisition activity in China.

(China Daily Africa Weekly 11/07/2014 page18)