China’s two weeks of schmoozing and snoozing end not with a bang but a whimper
- At Li Keqiang’s press conference to end China’s annual legislative gathering, reporters’ hopes they would get to pose a question on one of the burning topics of the day were quickly dashed
It was what you’d expect from any professional reporter at one of China’s most high-profile press events.
Hundreds of reporters – many of them dressed in red – raising their hands and waving in the hope of catching Premier Li Keqiang’s attention.
Except this was China, where everything is carefully arranged and managed. Even though this was my first time attending the presser, I quickly realised that it was pointless to keep raising my hand as all of the questions and answers had been pre-chosen and scripted.
The group of foreign journalists sat next to me did not bother raising their hands once.
However, I noticed a Chinese state media reporter nearby with perfect posture who never failed to raise hers, even though she got ignored every time.
I asked her why, since the questions were staged. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about,” she replied before scurrying off.
