Many people I know - writers, poets - they have all been sentenced not once but sometimes three times after they come out. They serve five or six years, come out another time, and then nine years. Come out again, 12 years. Only because they have a different opinion. They are innocent people, they have beautiful minds, beautiful hearts.

In the '80s, you couldn't walk in the neighborhood without looking back to see if anyone was following you. You had your key in your hand before you got to your apartment and you'd rush in so you didn't have to stop.

Behind every political deal in this country, the first casualties are always the ordinary people, who are barely treated as human.

Creativity is part of human nature. It can only be untaught.

New York was not a romantic city at [80th]. Nobody knows who you are and you don't have to care about anybody else. It's a very cold city, I should say.

It's always nice to share your energy with young people, the people who might not have any skills but are simply willing to be a part of it.

It is not an easy job to govern China, I am aware of that.