Zhao Xiaoping, head of the Pricing Department under the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), listens to opinions from representatives of a public hearing on the price-adjustment scheme for Chinese airlines July 15, 2003. The NDRC, which organized the hearing, proposed airlines be allowed to raise ticket prices by a maximum of 25 per cent or cut them by up to 40 per cent. The benchmark price for every passenger is 0.75 yuan (US$0.09) per kilometer. [newsphoto.com.cn]