"It's inhumane to the animals. If I give you a steamed stuffed bun and pull it back while you are eating it, would you mind that? Confined animals in the zoos are not supposed to entertain people like that."

Guo Geng, an animal protection expert, quoted by Beijing Youth Daily in a story about a zoo's practice of arranging a "tug-of-war" between several people and a tiger, with the tiger holding food in a bag and the people pulling a rope tied to the bag. The zoo, in Changsha, Hunan province, said the practice aims to help the animals return to a wild state.

"Who would want to marry a weird man like me who has 120 'sons'?"

Zhao Junlu, 45, of Dandong, Liaoning province, joking with a reporter from Huashang Morning Post about helping support more than 120 street children in the past 15 years.

"Space medicine is not only good for the health of astronauts, but also has great potential for improving the health of people on Earth."

Chen Shanguang, director of the Astronaut Center of China, speaking at the 64th International Astronautical Congress in Beijing. China's future space station, due to be completed in a decade, will work on a project to develop so-called space medicine, officials say.

"Inviting foreign experts has aided China in opening up. It benefits the Chinese people and the whole world."

Li Keqiang, China's premier, had high praise for the work of foreign experts in China and their efforts for the country, and he emphasized that China will continue to invite more of them to work in the country.

(China Daily European Weekly 10/04/2013 page3)