"I won't bet against anyone unless I'm sure about the result. I think in 10 years, the situation will be a lot more surprising than we think. So I advise Wang not to bet with me."

Jack Ma, chairman of China's biggest e-commerce company Alibaba Group, explaining his wager with Wang Jianlin, chairman of Wanda Group. Wang had disputed Ma's prediction that online consumption would account for more than half of the retail transactions in a decade. The two tycoons have wagered 100 million yuan ($16 million; 12 million euros) on the outcome.

"My story is not important. What is important is that China needs more efficient anti-domestic violence laws."

Kim Lee

, the ex-wife of Li Yang, the founder of the "Crazy English" language course, commenting after a Beijing court granted her a divorce on the grounds of domestic abuse. The court also granted Kim, a US national, custody of their three daughters and properties worth more than 12 million yuan. In seeking the divorce, Kim complained that Li had been violent toward her.

"Africa can borrow lessons on urban development from China, while the United States offers valuable lessons on goods transit systems for cities."

Mary Kane, president and CEO of Sister Cities International, a US-based nonprofit organization, saying that African cities can team up with their foreign counterparts in China and the West to help tackle problems associated with waste, poor service delivery and unplanned settlements.

(China Daily 02/08/2013 page2)