Chicago Mayor Richard Daley just recently came back from a trip to China and Hong Kong. In an unrelated press conference, the mayor called the trip eye opening. He describes a school he visited in China.

“Forty-eight students in every classroom. That was amazing, 48 students. It was extraordinary. And they were learning, wow,” he said.

Daley wouldn’t say whether he thinks a class size that big would work in Chicago. 

The mayor also highlighted China’s economic development and urban planning. He says city officials met with Hong Kong transportation leaders about a possible express train from downtown Chicago to the airports. Daley says the city will release official results from the trip in the coming weeks.

Also today, the mayor rejected an idea that the city would have increased rodent problems this summer. That’s in response to an earlier complaint city labor leaders made saying there wouldn’t be enough workers on rat duty.

The city plans to shift workers from tree trimming and rodent control over to street sweeping work. Budget Director Eugene Munin says this is a move the city makes every year.

“We work very well with the streets and sanitation commissioner and obviously we have budget constraints but we work with the commissioner and make sure the crews are out there to handles the services that we need to provide to the citizens,” Munin said.

Munin says workers will be shifted to different jobs as needed, and the move is only temporary. A Streets and Sanitation spokesman says rodent complaints around the city are down so far compared to last year.