Quotes from around China this week

"Femininity is on the rise, and masculinity is on the decline. With such a lack of character and determination and such physical weakness, how can they shoulder the heavy responsibility?"
- Major General Luo Yuan laments the poor physical fitness of China’s young generation. AP

"I want to have good communication with the fans."
- Tennis star Li Na when asked about a wild serve that ended up 10 rows into the stands. USA Today

“It was difficult. I had to borrow money from my brother to buy the phone.”
- Feng Yumei, one of the many villagers in Gansu province who were forced to buy a mobile phone in order to qualify for social relief. The village’s party secretary, who had defended the policy by arguing that owning mobile phones would “raise their intelligence,” was later discovered to be in cahoots with a county telecom provider and was fired. South China Morning Post

"If we don't start caring for the environment then after 20 or 30 years our children and grandchildren might be wearing gas masks and carry oxygen tanks."
- Billionaire Chen Guanbiao, who has half-jokingly started to sell canned air on the streets of Beijing in response to the blanket of smog over the city. The Age

"We are treated differently than the people who were born in Beijing. I earn less money than regular employees who do the same job.”
- Tang Yuanchao, a trash collector whose dream of building a better future for his family was ruined by unequal pay practices and skyrocketing rents that prevent migrant workers like him from settling down. Global Post

"Not only does financial fragility look to be on the rise, Beijing seems to be on the verge of losing control over the credit system."
- GMO analysts Edward Chancellor and Mike Monnelly, who argue that China’s massive financial system is showing signs of alarming weakness. Business Insider

“American and Chinese youth are the gateway to stronger relations. And yet we must do more to encourage Americans to learn Mandarin and study in China. Our future, quite literally, depends on it.”
- Kurt Campbell, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs. Politico