“The relationship between the Chinese government and me is like a Cold War.”

[Therefore] holding a trial outside the court. I think that is fairness, that is justice, that is a civil society. Otherwise call it an evil society because everything is hidden.

Liberty is about our rights to question everything.

The society was so different [in China] – it was a feudalistic society. It didn’t come to a point of industrial revolution until twenty years ago.

China restricts the society’s freedom of speech. The Communist Party imposes these limits because it lacks confidence towards the future and has no ideals.

I think by shattering it we can create a new form, a new way to look at what is valuable – how we decide what is valuable.

The museums used to be exhibition halls for government propaganda, and now every city wants to build a museum.

The people will always have the last word – even if someone has a very weak, quiet voice. Such power will collapse because of a whisper.

To give a price to an artwork, no matter how high or low, is always absurd. It’s not something that can be measured by money or by certain numbers.

We are living in a popular culture where everything is overexposed.

My definition of art has always been the same. It is about freedom of expression. I don’t think anybody can separate art from politics. The intention to separate [the two] is itself a very political intention.

To express yourself needs a reason, but expressing yourself is the reason.

Man has a tendency to try to give clear reasons to be rational, but often you can see how all those reasons are not convincing and turn out to be a big nonsense.

Dictatorship is a story about death of others who turn out to be you coincidently.

China hasn’t only existed for one day. Now, the whole nation has become richer and it’s become a problem. The problem is universal. The factor is big. Everybody has to rethink the balance of the world and the whole landscape.

I don’t care if this is a great cultural event or a national symbol. It has nothing to do with me. It deals with the city.

I think China is laughing about the results of the presidential elections. China, Russia, they all laugh about it.

You know, the Chinese don’t like to be photographed because they believe that a part of their life is being taken away by the photographer. And in a way, they’re right.

I have a blog in Chinese, which you can follow, Chinese signs. But I don’t even update at all, often I don’t.

If you are asking me if I would advocate that the Chinese go to greater flexibility in their exchange rate, I certainly would.

The second ‘Postal Service’ album is threatening to become the ‘Chinese Democracy’ of indie rock. It will come out eventually, or maybe it won’t.

I worked in a Chinese restaurant.

Because of the Chinese culture of obedience, you don’t ask questions… You follow and obey.

If I were to limit myself to the opportunities that were presented playing only Chinese-American parts, I would be virtually without a career.

I’m doing quite a few things now. In one day, I will go to Kassel, Germany, for a documentary project I’ve been preparing for half a year.