"Our country needs every vote from Egyptians."

Interim prime minister of Egypt HAZEM AL-BEBLAWI last week entreated voters to cast their ballots in a referendum to ratify the new constitution held last Tuesday.

"China should promulgate the National Wetlands Conservation Regulation as quickly as possible."

ZHANG YONGLI, deputy director of the State Forestry Administration, said measures needed to be taken to arrest the shrinking of China's wetlands witnessed over the past decade.

"We have great confidence in the Asian market because of China's huge enthusiasm for space."

CEO of SXC Asia ALEX TANG explains China's push to send its first private astronauts into space by the end of this year.

"He has dreamed of becoming a policeman since he was a child. I am very grateful for everything people did for him."

CHEN QINGMEI, mother of Zou Junyi, a 9-year-old boy with muscular dystrophy from Xinyu, Jiangxi province, who received an award for being a "courageous policeman" from mayor Cong Wenjing last weekend following his involvement in a staged "kidnapping" exercise in which he assisted special police to deal with a pretend scenario.

"If it becomes a civil war, I will give up. People's lives are precious for me If someone instigates a civil war, I will tell the people to go home."

SUTHEP THAUGSUBAN, the leader of a protest movement attempting to topple Thailand's government, was reported as saying he was prepared to give up his continuing struggle should civil war in the country threaten to break out.

"China's ability to protect its maritime rights lags far behind Japan and South Korea."

WANG HANLING, maritime law specialist at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, commented on last Thursday's announcement by the State Oceanic Administration that China will speed up the construction of 20 inspection ships and plans to purchase patrol ships and planes.

(China Daily 01/19/2014 page1)