New plan keeps media swarms in order
By Zhu Zhe (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-03-18 07:22

For years, I wore sports shoes when reporting on the annual NPC sessions.

The reason: I had to chase after ministers as they walked through the northern entrance of the Great Hall of the People to ask them about relevant issues.

For as long as I can remember, arriving early at the hall and waiting near the entrance has been a reporter's best, and sometimes only, chance to meet and ask questions of press-shy officials. Having been put on the spot, officials had to rely on quick wits, stoicism and even physical strength to fend off the media mob.

This year, however, we reporters attending the NPC session do not have to hound and swarm the officials. The NPC's media service department came up with a simple but effective plan: It sealed off the area with red tape and restricted reporters to a specific zone.

Insiders with the NPC's media service department said the move would prevent chaos and save some ministers from the embarrassment of falling in the jam of reporters.

The new scheme worked. I still remember last year, when then Minister of Commerce Bo Xilai almost fell down as he tried his best to push through the media throng.

And I almost got choked when the long wires connecting broadcast reporters' cameras and microphones became wound around my neck.

CCTV reporter Ren Yongwei even made a TV program after the NPC session last year about how she managed to stop the ministers from walking past and pushed them to answer questions.

But this year, ministers are noticeably freer to saunter down the red carpet to their meeting hall, and their attitudes toward media are also different.

Some of them, such as former Social Security Minister Tian Chengping, responded to reporters' shouting by gracefully waving their hands, walking briskly and offering very few words, such as "I'll have a press conference tomorrow".

Others, such as Zhang Weiqing, former director of the National Population and Family Planning Commission, and Health Minister Chen Zhu were much more media-friendly: They made stops and answered questions with smiles.

But while the new plan increased orderliness, there were occasional bouts of chaos.

On the first day of the NPC session, China's then top work safety chief Li Yizhong, who was named as minister of industry and information yesterday, was the first senior official to greet the press. Sensing they had found a sympathetic ear, reporters surged forward and outside of their designated zone. Once again, chaos reigned at the entrance.

A newly elected CPPCC member, who happened to be passing by, appeared shocked by the scene.

"What happened? What's the matter?" he asked nearby members in a seemingly surprised and anxious tone.

(China Daily 03/18/2008 page5)