Street talk

"I have been to China three times and I am impressed with the rapid development and turnaround. I get the impression that Chinese people are normal people, like all of us. They are working hard to improve lives. They have challenges and a difficult history, like many of us. But they are very committed to a better livelihood, technology and economic development."

"Almost a year has passed, and no, I haven't had 'enough' of China. In fact, I plan to try to stay in China for at least an extra year beyond the planned two years of my position. For one thing, I want to learn more Chinese. The truth is that I often complain about the pollution, the Internet and generally about how Chinese do things, but those problems are not serious enough to cause me to want to leave already. Additionally, I feel that there is much more for me to discover in China.So my thoughts about China, like about any other country, are a mixture of good and bad. And one reason I decided to come to China, despite all that, is my optimism that it would be better one day."

"China, in my mind, is associated with good food, desirable culture and friendly people, and I think many people around me hold similar opinions. The country's economy is growing rapidly, which the rest of the world can all benefit from. I am not afraid of China because China does not have a tradition of being dangerous."

(China Daily 08/23/2013 page11)