Shanghai Daily news

Delegates at the ongoing sessions of the National People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference discuss such issues as affordable housing, banking reform and filial piety.

"The futures market and the peasant should be like husband and wife."
- Zhu Yuchen, general manager of Dalian Commodity Exchange, says teach peasants how to make good use of the futures market so they can earn more money.

"We can't ask monkeys to swim, or let ducks climb trees any more."
- Yu Jinming, deputy director of Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, calls for reform of personnel evaluation. He says some doctors are adept at research, but not necessarily at surgery. Therefore, it is unfair to judge a doctor only by how many papers he publishes.

"Our GDP should be green."
- Wang Zhonglin, Party secretary of Daxinganling region, promises to protect one of the most important forests in the country, even if short-term GDP growth is sacrificed.

"The rate of pre-marital health checks has dropped to 1.57 percent in Zhejiang Province."
- Sheng Changli, deputy governor of Zhejiang Province, says the new marriage registration regulation is problematic. A couple no longer needs to have a physical before getting married.


"Our society can never be harmonious without filial love."
- Li Baoku, chairman of China National Committee on Aging, comments on the importance of enhancing traditional family values. Estimates say the senior population is growing 3.3 percent annually and by 2050, one out of every four Chinese people will be aged 60 or above.


"It turns out that peasants sweat in the field only to sell what they get in tears; we can't let this happen over and over again."
- Ren Qixing, chairman of CPPCC Ningxia Hui Autonomous Regional Committee, expresses his concern over the hardships Ningxia people face. Overcoming the natural disadvantages of the region is a big challenge standing in the way of economic development.

"The average lifespan of private firms is no more than two years and seven months."
- Gao Tianle, chairman of Wenzhou Tengen Group in Zhejiang Province, explains why most private companies are so short-lived. He believes blind expansion, complicated investment relationships, the failure to nurture core competence, as well as the lack of credibility make it difficult to start a successful business.

"China now has more than 320 white-headed langurs."
- Pan Wenshi, a renowned zoologist and life science professor at Peking University, has pledged to dedicate another 10 years of his life to environmental protection. The endangered species was reduced to less than 100 in 1996, thanks to unchecked hunting and tree felling.