Photo: Chengguan shut down a street vendor. Xinhua

Quotes from around China this week

“There is never a lack of money or good intentions in today’s China. What we are short of are capable and courageous men of action.”
- Independent investigator Li Jianjun, who turned over evidence of alleged mismanagement, negligence and corruption by senior executives of mainland companies to the Hong Kong anti-graft bodies. South China Morning Post

"The Chinese have been playing bureaucratic games for 2,000 years. They are pretty experienced. The meaningful thing is to do something for the whole country, the whole system. Not to open a hole and then put a cap on it.”
- Economist Andy Xie, criticizing the pilot project approach to capital account liberalization as outdated. Reuters

"The authorities are dying to keep up the pretense at all costs. But as civil rights awareness continues to grow among the public, confrontations between authority and the public will intensify."
- Lawyer Yuan Yulai, on authorities’ failure to address the root causes of conflict between chengguan and the public. South China Morning Post

“The ordinary masses in Chongqing saw Bo Xilai transform the city from a poor one to one with high GDP growth, a low crime rate and a low unemployment rate. His concept of ‘collective prosperity’ is very appealing to the Chinese people and that is why they still support him.”
- Commentator Yu Li, on the disgraced official’s enduring popularity. Financial Times

“Some people eagerly wish that their motherland suffer accidents every day. They have become accustomed to playing up these incidents when they happen. Those blasting China every day, why don’t you leave China and move to America? Get out quickly! I totally support you!”
- Deputy governor of Guizhou Province Chen Mingming, responding to criticism of chengguan attacks on street vendors. Tea Leaf Nation

"Lower prices, lower prices."
- Premier Li Keqiang to HP Billiton's new chief executive Andrew Mackenzie at private meeting in June, referring to lowering iron ore prices. The Australian