Quotable

"Many people are concerned that China may face systematic financial risks similar to the US nine years ago. ... I think there are two things that are good about China. First, China has a comparatively more strictly regulated capital market and financial market, making related risks less complicated and more controllable. Second, we have a much lower resident leverage ratio in the property market."

ZHU NING, deputy director of the National Finance Research Institute of Tsinghua University.

"The gap in financial performance has enlarged among commercial banks. ... Although some expanded rapidly by almost 30 percent in regard to total assets, more banks posted single-digit growth in net profit. This should raise the alarm, making all senior banking executives, especially the chairperson of each bank, realize that a reshuffle of the banking industry will soon take place."

WU QING, director of the comprehensive research office of the Research Institute of Finance at the Development Research Center of the State Council. "

The concept of being single is no longer negative, and it's natural for them to dine and travel by themselves."

BOSTON CONSULTING GROUP, in a report. Research showed that about 16 percent of the urban population in China live alone.

(China Daily European Weekly 09/01/2017 page24)