"I hope that the biggest success you achieved during the past four years at college is that you have gradually formed your own thinking."

Qiu Yong, president of Tsinghua University, stressing the importance of independent thinking, in his commencement speech to graduates on July 2.

"China strongly urges the US to immediately stop such provocative operations that violate China's sovereignty and threaten China's security."

Lu Kang, Foreign Ministry spokesman, speaking on July 2 after the USS Stethem, a US guided-missile destroyer, sailed within 12 nautical miles of Zhongjian Island, in the waters off the Xisha Islands, without notifying China in advance.

"I am cautiously optimistic that we should be able to get this through before the summer recess at the LegCo. So when it comes to the 2017-18 school year, new resources will be injected into the education system."

Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor Hong Kong chief executive, saying she would unveil detailed plans to raise recurrent education spending during a Legislative Council meeting.

(China Daily European Weekly 07/07/2017 page2)