"Some officials dare not show their watches in public. If they are caught wearing luxury watches, people will be asking whether they're corrupt, because they can't afford to buy that kind of thing with their salaries."

Li Daokui, director of the Center for China in the World Economy at Tsinghua University, saying that social media have been promoting political and social progress in a big way. Li made the remarks at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

"At least I saw myself regaining my form. I am still hungry for titles. I tried my best, so I can forgive myself."

Li Na, China's top tennis player, commenting on her loss to Belarusian Victoria Azarenka in the final of the Australian Open tennis tournament on Jan 26.

"We expect full integration around 2030, when the economy will be amalgamated. Africans will use one currency, and goods will flow freely within the continent. The common market will also have a unified tax rate for all outsiders."

Rene N'Guettia Kouassi, director of economic affairs at the Africa Union Commission, saying that African nations are slowly, but steadily, moving toward the goal of regional integration. Kouassi's comments came during the recent AU summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, which had "Pan-Africanism and its role in Africa's future" as its main theme.

(China Daily 02/01/2013 page2)