"The Chinese philosophy holds balance as relative, while imbalance as absolute. According to the theory, the existence of economic imbalance in the world, which can be adjusted by market mechanisms, is no strange thing."

Zhou Xiaochuan, Governor of the People's Bank of China, in response to a question regarding world economic imbalance at a media briefing during the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in Washington, D.C. on October 8

"I never was one, even on the basis of the earthly definition of a saint as a sinner who keeps trying."

Former South African President Nelson Mandela refusing the label of "saint" in his new memoir Conversations with Myself

"Although half of China's backward production capacity will [have been] eliminated during the five years from 2006 to 2010, there is still a long way to go before our conventional industries can be upgraded."

Minister of Industry and Information Technology Li Yizhong said in an interview with Xinhua News Agency

"China has gone through the process and it knows what are the necessary things... what tools, what policies are required to reduce poverty."

Hamidon Ali, President of the UN Economic and Social Council, encouraging China, which he said sets a good example for global anti-poverty efforts, to share its experience of development in a bid to help other developing countries