PEOPLE & POINTS

PEOPLE & POINTS

“China is w illing to bear the obligations of a legally binding comm itment matched w ith China’s econom ic development and capabilities based on the princip le of common but differentiated responsibilities, fairness and environmental integrity.”

Xie Zhenhua, Vice Chairman of the National Development and Reform Comm ission of China, who led a Chinese delegation to the UN Climate Change Conference, said at a meeting in Durban, South A frica,on December 5

“The argument that China should rescue Europe does not stand, as reserves are not managed that way. Foreign reserves aren’t domestic income or money that can be disposed of by the prem ier or finance m inister.”

Chinese Vice Foreign M inister Fu Ying, at the Lanting forum held by the M inistry of Foreign A ffairs of China in Beijing on December 2

“The U.S. has always asked China to be transparent about its strategy. It is the U.S. that should make its intentions clear.”

Major General Luo Yuan, from the People’s Liberation A rmy Academy of M ilitary Science of China, in an interview w ithChina Dailyreporters during a meeting between high-ranking m ilitary officers from China and the United States in Beijing on December 6

“W e want to make sure that the imbalances which led to the situation in the euro zone today cannot happen again.Therefore we want a new treaty, to m ake clear to the peop les of Europe, members of Europe and members of the euro zone,that things cannot continue as they are.”

French President Nicolas Sarkozy, telling a news conference after a meeting w ith German Chancellor Angela M erkel in Paris, France on December 5 that the two countries agreed on a series of reforms aimed at changing the EU treaty to impose tough control of euro zone budgets

“It (the new budget) w ill include, among other initiatives, a new system of loan guarantees which w ill enable banks to resume lending and a new m icrofinance scheme which w ill help peop le to start their own businesses. This w ill allow small fi rm s to take on one or even two em ployees.”

Irish Prime M inister Enda Kenny, calling for tougher measures for next year’s budget in a televised address to the nation in Dublin, Ireland on December 5