I remember that Mr Bo Xilai, Chinese minister of trade, once told the media that the cost of importing an Airbus from the EU was equal to the profit gained from exporting 800 million China-made shirts to Europe. Therefore, I am excited to hear the news that the Chinese home-made large planes could come into use in the next 10 to 15 years (China Daily, January 9, 2007).

China can become a developed country only when its aircraft manufacturing industry matures. China has the largest population in the world, and among them certainly there are plenty of talented people of all kinds.

If proper policy is adopted, the potential talents of the Chinese people could be fully cultivated, which would contribute to the development of China's science and technology.

Sheila Wong

Macao

(China Daily 01/11/2007 page11)