Verbatim

"China must rely on itself to solve the problems in its development…it is an important principle that guarantees that China will follow the road of peaceful development"

White paper, “China’s Peaceful Development Road,” issued by the Information Office of China’s State Council, December 22, 2005

"After half an hour of clinical observation, the volunteers experienced no bad reaction of either the whole or part of the body."

Xinhua News Agency, on recent Chinese bird flu vaccine trials involving six volunteers, December 22, 2005

"But as in any country or region, where the development of democracy is a gradual and historical process, Hong Kong's democracy has to be promoted in a step-by-step, substantial and orderly way."

China’s President Hu Jintao, on Hong Kong's democratic development, December 27, 2005

"The legal rights of employees were frequently violated in more than 80 percent of private companies, especially in real estate, light industry, clothing and catering."

He Luli, vice-chairwoman, Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, speaking on employees rights at a committee session, December 28, 2005

"In such a fast-changing society, people no longer trust each other, even though they are husband and wife."

Wang Zebin, researcher, Peking University, Sociology Department, on the “trust crisis” reflected in the growing use of paternity tests.