"I will donate 200,000 yuan ($32,000) if the head of our local environmental protection bureau dares to swim in this polluted river for 20 minutes."

Jin Zengmin, an entrepreneur in Zhejiang province, complaining on his micro blog about the heavy industrial pollution at a river in his hometown of Ruian.

"I hope to be remembered as a good person who did something in his hometowns of Shanghai and Houston to make things better."

Yao Ming, former NBA star and newly chosen goodwill ambassador for the Texan city, speaking at the Asia Society Texas Center on Feb 15 before his ambassadorship was announced. Yao once played for the Houston Rockets.

"Urban planning in many cities is decided by local top leaders now. If such people have a degree of expertise, the city is very lucky. Otherwise, the consequences can be dreadful."

Zhou Qiren, head of the National School of Development of Peking University, calling for professionals and citizens to have greater say in planning.

(China Daily 02/22/2013 page2)