Quotable

"It's that easy and sustained transmission among humans that we are concerned about, and there is no evidence of that yet."

Michael O'Leary, World Health Organization representative to China, saying that there is still no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission of the H7N9 bird flu virus. O'Leary's comment followed reports of a married couple in Shanghai being infected with the virus.

"The disclosure of a lot of previously classified information is in response to the international community's attention. Moreover, the move signals that China now has the confidence of being a responsible power."

Hou Xiaohe, senior colonel and a strategy expert of the PLA National Defense University, commenting on the country's eighth defense white paper issued by the State Council Information Office on April 16. The paper for the first time unveils the designations of combined corps and the military command that directs them.

"The price of tap water should not be decided by the current system, under which the National Development and Reform Commission sets the price based on the production cost. Prices should also take into account the goal of saving water. The current water price should be raised tenfold to 30 to 40 yuan per ton."

Wang Wenke, chairman of the China Water Investment Co, saying during a recent water conference that the tap water pricing mechanism in China needs to be more rational.

(China Daily 04/19/2013 page2)