It's unbelievable that the president would drop by an ordinary restaurant without a huge retinue and a number of security guards. He seemed humble but dignified and didn't stop people from taking photos of him."

Guo Xueqin, a cashier of the Qing Feng Steamed Dumpling Shop's Xicheng district branch, said after serving President Xi Jinping on Dec 28. Xi visited the restaurant, ordered six steamed dumplings, paid cash and chatted with patrons that day.

"We should not forget the past, when the people were starving, and adopt misplaced optimism just because we are well off. We should also be aware of the pressure of maintaining food security despite the consecutive annual increases in grain yield."

Han Changfu, minister of agriculture, commenting about the importance of food security in an article published in the People's Daily on Dec 29.

"We're trying to shift the government's role from pre-investment examiners to responsible supervisors in and after investment."

Luo Guosan, deputy director of fixed assets investment division of the National Development and Reform Commission, the country's economic planner.

(China Daily Africa Weekly 01/03/2014 page3)