China's war against excess evident in no-frills national gatherings

Signs that the central government's fight against excess is in full force were evident at this year's toned-down parliamentary meetings.

Some delegates were asked by organisers to bring their own toothbrushes, slippers and daily necessities instead of relying on hotels to provide them. Many delegations from the provinces and cities chose to forgo chartered flights and travelled by coach or train to Beijing.

"Since last year, austerity and frugality have become common in the meetings. No red carpets, no flowers, no welcome banners - these are good [developments]," said Lei Xianhe, a film director and Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference delegate.

The annual sessions of the CPPCC and the national legislature, the National People's Congress, began last week.

In a crowded function room at the Beijing International Hotel, where a group of delegates were discussing educational issues, dozens of mineral water bottles were seen with blank labels for the names of delegates, who made sure not to open a bottle before the old one was finished.

Women serving free-flowing tea, a fixture in previous meetings, were conspicuously absent. One cup of tea was already set out for each delegate before the meeting started.

Shortly after taking office last year, President Xi Jinping launched a battle against extravagance and wasteful spending in the party. NPC spokeswoman Fu Ying said the central government proposed 17 measures this year, up from 15 last year, to ramp up the austerity drive.