Reports that the Beijing traffic authority is considering charging more for a subway ride at rush hour have aroused public concern. Do you think raising the ticket price would help ease passenger congestion?

You're kidding me. It is funny thinking a higher price would ease subway congestion. A real proposal is based on people's voices and I doubt the proposal is really based on public opinion. Many people use the subway as their main public transport means because it is cheap and convenient. Raising the price will hardly affect their choice. I doubt whether the proposal really aims to ease metro congestion. More likely it is simply for generating greater revenue.

I believe the key to easing congestion is to control the city's expansion. The last time I took a subway train was five years ago, when it was far less crazy than today. Within five years, too many people crowded into Beijing and jammed the city in every respect. It would have greatly eased the traffic if they had located those government offices or companies in the suburbs, instead of squeezing everything into the city center.