Two Meetings

As everyone in China knows, the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference are gathering for their 2009 session, known as the "Two Meetings." These two political organizations are often called rubber-stamps, but here is something interesting to read that might combat that myth.

Yesterday Southern Metropolis Daily (one of the best papers in the country) interviewed Shen Jilan, the only member of the NPC to attend ever meeting to date. "In 55 years," she said, "I've never once voted 'no.' I'm very supportive of the Chinese Communist Party. If you're going to be a representative, you have to do what the Party says (听党的话)."(via 道路blocked on the mainland) Perhaps the sarcasm was lost in translation.

For a better account of improvements in the Two Meetings check out Evan's post.

When major political meetings like this are held in Beijing, parts of the city shut down. Since I live right around the corner from Tian'anmen Square, it's been all but impossible to catch a cab and the crowds for the normally packed daily flag-raising have shrunk dramatically. (I was going regularly the weeks before the Meetings, so I can tell the crowds aren't scared away by the cold weather.)

Fortunately, the old folks pay no heed to this political nonsense and were out doing Tai Chi like normal.